WJCT News Now Plus

After the Legislature’s decision to put the future of property tax cuts before voters in November, we look at the potential blast radius of the revenue loss. In our monthly Ask the Mayor segment, we also ask Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan about her new blight abatement efforts, community blowback after a traffic-plagued Ironman event and her working relationship with incoming City Council p...

Jacksonville city leaders are preparing for difficult budget decisions as uncertainty grows over a proposed property tax referendum that could significantly reduce city revenue. We’ll hear why funding for a planned downtown Publix and other projects may face increased scrutiny. Also, a powerful earthquake off the coast of Cuba was felt across much of Florida, including Jacksonville. Off...

The city’s commitment to nonprofit spending — from healthcare for the poor to programs for at-risk youth and families — will be thrown into stark relief as the city crafts a budget in the shadow of potentially massive tax cuts. It’s a difficult posture for any lawmaker, but one that incoming City Council President Nick Howland will inherit ahead of a statewide vote on prope...

During today’s episode, we look at the first month of Duval County’s new school bus camera enforcement program, which resulted in nearly 3,200 citations for drivers accused of illegally passing stopped school buses. We’ll also preview Aldi’s continued expansion in Jacksonville, with several former Winn-Dixie and Harveys locations set to reopen as Aldi stores in the com...

Jacksonville Today associate editor Mike Mendenhall talks with reporter Dan Scanlan about a proposed AI-focused data center in Nassau County and the uncertainty swirling around it. Dan explains how a Miami Beach company’s plan to buy 600 acres near Yulee has sparked county fact-finding meetings, a potential 12‑month moratorium, and neighbor concerns over noise, power, and water use—des...

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: Famed environmental attorney Erin Brockovich enters the data center controversy even as Nassau County hits pause on their construction.  A St. Johns County teacher is fired over a yearbook rap lyric she says she didn’t quote. Local governments start to grapple with the possibil...

Duval County Public Schools is expanding weapons detection systems at some elementary schools starting this school year and we look at some of the events happening in Jacksonville to get you ready for the weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A high profile murder case saw some high stakes legal developments with the recent disclosure of a statement allegedly made by the defendant to an informant in the Duval County jail. According to a document released by prosecutors last week, the inmate claims accused killer Mario Fernandez Saldana revealed that his wife, Shanna Gardner, was the mastermind of the fatal 2022 ambush that claimed the...

Florida voters will decide the future of property taxes this November, and local leaders are warning the proposed cuts could have major consequences for county budgets and public services. Also, policy experts are raising concerns that property tax changes could shift costs to renters and businesses, potentially leading to higher rents and new fees if the amendment wins voter approval. See om...

The spiraling Ebola epidemic in central Africa and the recent hantavirus outbreak are sobering reminders of the globally interdependent realities of healthcare. We discuss how the current political landscape and changes in spending on international medicine could be contributing to the spread of disease. Also, RFK wants you off your antidepressants and has no problem calling you fat: Why some say...

The Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee delays a vote on a measure that would place the Duval County school district’s teacher pay tax referendum on the November ballot, putting pressure on council members to act before election deadlines. Plus, Jacksonville Beach launches a pilot program allowing some bars and restaurants to temporarily expand outdoor capacity during Jaguars...

In late April, the White House abruptly fired the entire board of the National Science Foundation, the agency that provides the largest support and funding for nonmedical research and education. It was just the latest in a series of unprecedented decisions that has upended the scientific world. Along with funding freezes, spending caps and deep cuts to ongoing research, the effects are being felt...

As state lawmakers are in Tallahassee this week for a special session focused on property tax reform, we’ll look at concerns from Jacksonville leaders who warn the changes could have major impacts on local budgets and city services. Plus, there's a threat of heavy storms and localized flash flooding this evening in Northeast Florida. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After much bitterness, delay and a two-week extended special session, the state House and Senate finally coalesced around a $114.5 billion budget, including $30 billion for K-12 education, more than $500 million for Everglades restoration and $425 million for the Rural and Family Lands program. But what lies beneath? Investigative reporter Jason Garcia breaks down what he calls “the more int...

Northeast Florida's restaurant scene earns new recognition as eight local establishments are added to the Michelin Guide, including restaurants in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Amelia Island. Also, Florida lawmakers return to Tallahassee for a special session focused on property taxes today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacksonville Today associate editor Mike Mendenhall talks with reporter Will Brown about soccer’s growing footprint in Jacksonville, from Sporting Jax’s playoff run to the city’s place in the wider U.S. soccer pyramid. They also discuss Will’s profile of two former Ponte Vedra High stars whose careers have taken them from dominant high school players to medical school, show...

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: Members of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority Board accuse City Council President-elect Nick Howland of harassment and threats. Gov. Ron DeSantis pushes to eliminate property taxes on most primary homes. A busy end to the Duval County school year, with the ouster of the school chief, and new...

A rainy weekend is ahead for Northeast Florida as forecasters warn of widespread storms, possible flooding, and several inches of rain through Sunday. Plus, despite the wet forecast, communities across the region are kicking off summer with events ranging from line dancing at the beach to a family-friendly music celebration in Jacksonville’s historic LaVilla neighborhood. See omnystudio...

In the beginning, World Golf Village promised a lifestyle as smooth and manicured as a putting green. Originally, the golf course community was home to PGA Tour Productions, the World Golf Hall of Fame, the PGA Tour Stop — Florida’s largest golf store — and an IMAX theater, all arrayed around a 190-foot-tall steeple-topped tower. But in the intervening years, the village has lost...

Jacksonville leaders are backing a proposal to bring a Culinary Institute of America campus to downtown as part of a Northbank development plan. Plus, Florida lawmakers prepare for a special session on property taxes as Governor Ron DeSantis pushes a plan that could eliminate property taxes for most homeowners while raising concerns about funding for local services. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Mark Maron, Kevin Smith and Sarah Koenig are just some of the voices that redefined audio journalism. A new documentary traces the evolution and triumph of podcasting, a medium that resurrected audio storytelling through the technology of RSS feeds and (initially) the iPod platform. We meet the director of the film Age of Audio ahead of the screening at WJCT Studios . The film features interviews...

Jacksonville City Council members reject a resolution aimed at keeping a proposed new Duval County jail out of urban and historically Black neighborhoods. Meanwhile, a Florida judge declines to block the state’s newly approved congressional maps ahead of this year’s midterm elections, while voting rights groups vow to continue their legal challenge. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

A new directive from ICE has echoes of Fight Club rules: Not only does it instruct local law enforcement to keep immigration enforcement actions secret, the secrecy applies to the directive itself. A recent report by Florida investigative journalist Monique Madan was sparked when she obtained a copy of the confidential ICE directive, a federal order that directly contradicts Florida’s vaunte...

Downtown Jacksonville’s Pearl Square development is moving forward, with the first apartment complex expected to open by the end of the year as part of a larger plan to reshape the city’s downtown area. Also, Florida legislative leaders have reached a budget agreement that includes funding for school choice programs, Everglades restoration, and targeted pay raises for law enforcement a...

Jacksonville Today associate editor Mike Mendenhall talks with St. Johns County reporter Noah Hertz about life after the crisis at Marineland Dolphin Adventure—how a near-sale to real estate developers turned into a locally led rescue, and what has changed for workers and animals since. Noah shares what longtime staff told him about staying on without pay to care for dolphins during bankrupt...