WJCT News Now Plus

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: Congestion, confusion and contusions complicate Jacksonville’s inaugural Ironman. The NAACP calls on college athletes to boycott eight Southern states, including Florida, for voting rights rollbacks. Yet another subpoena expands the JEA investigation sparked by City Council President Kev...

On today’s episode, we hear how new ownership is reshaping the future of Marineland Dolphin Adventure after months of uncertainty for the historic aquarium and its dolphins. Plus, a look at Memorial Day weekend events across Northeast Florida, including the Blue Crab Festival in Palatka, JAX Anchor Fest in Jacksonville and Riverfest in Green Cove Springs. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

Making sure new homes aren’t built in flood zones sounds like a no-brainer, but a surprising number of developments are in at-risk areas, made more vulnerable by rising seas. A proposed amendment to the city’s master plan for development focuses on steering new development out of harm’s way. Nearly three years after the mayor rolled out the 50-year resilience plan, the city is co...

Jacksonville city leaders move closer to approving $35 million in public incentives aimed at bringing the Culinary Institute of America to a proposed downtown riverfront development. Plus, the Jacksonville History Center adds four new sites to its annual list of endangered historic structures in Duval County. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Dr. Joe looks at health threats that feel far away, and others that may be hiding in our kitchens and even our tissues. The World Health Organization has declared an Ebola outbreak in parts of Congo and Uganda a global health emergency, driven by a Bundibugyo strain with no approved vaccine yet. Dr. Joe explains how Ebola really spreads, why it is much harder to catch than COVID, and wh...

From his role in the birth of alt-country to his tragic death at age 26, we explore the life and legacy of Florida’s own Gram Parsons on the eve of his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Known for his work playing with The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, in addition to launching the career of Emmylou Harris, Parsons is considered the founding father of country rock and a...

Jacksonville City Council moves forward with subpoenas for top JEA officials as an investigative committee examines allegations involving workplace culture, unpaid water fees from large customers, and a natural gas-fired power plant. Meanwhile, St. Johns County commissioners reject a Hastings restaurant’s request to serve beer and wine after objections from a nearby church. See omnystudio.co...

The typical office worker checks email 77 times a day. You may have already figured out: That’s not the most efficient use of your time. New York Times bestselling author David Epstein breaks down why setting boundaries helps us make better life decisions in his new book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better. He also explores why more choices, whether it’s swiping on a dating...

A new heat safety research lab has opened at the University of North Florida, where scientists will study the health effects of extreme weather on athletes, workers and military personnel. Also in Jacksonville, a Harveys Supermarket in Brentwood remaining open after a deal between the city and Winn-Dixie will transition into a Winn-Dixie location. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

A murder conviction in one of the most high-profile crimes of the past decade was overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court last week based on the meddling of a small-county court clerk. The decision was both evidence of a robust system designed to protect the rights of the accused and a glaring example of how our nation's jury system is vulnerable to the interference of even bit players. We...

Duval County Public Schools is considering accelerating repairs and construction projects at several aging campuses, including a full rebuild of Raines High School that could begin next year. Also, demolition is expected to begin soon on Jacksonville’s former Museum of Science and History building on the Southbank. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacksonville Today associate editor Mike Mendenhall talks with St. Johns County reporter Noah Hertz about what’s next for World Golf Village now that the Hall of Fame and IMAX are gone and a decades-old land restriction is tying up redevelopment. Noah explains how a lawsuit over a 1990s deed, soaring property values, and surrounding growth near Buc-ee’s and Costco are shaping the stake...

Each Friday, our panel of media experts dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: Civil rights attorney Ben Crump picks up two new clients over concerns about law enforcement response in Duval and Clay counties. The city gives Winn-Dixie $12 million to keep it in Jacksonville, even as residents of Brentwood and Green Cove Springs fight to keep the grocer in their comm...

Jacksonville residents got a first look at plans for the second phase of Riverfront Plaza, with new renderings showcasing a beer garden café, riverfront swings, winding walkways, and expanded pedestrian and bicycle access near the Main Street Bridge. Also ahead this weekend, the first-ever Ironman Jacksonville is set to bring nearly 2,000 athletes from around the world to compete in a full-...

As the federal government positions artificial intelligence as a national priority while ramping up AI data centers' construction, local governments are increasingly pushing back. Last week, Florida passed legislation regulating data centers, allowing local communities to pause or deny the construction of new ones. The new law signifies an uncommon break between Florida and the priorities of Presi...

Jacksonville’s downtown riverfront continues to evolve with the official opening of the new Riverfront Music Garden and a redesigned section of the Northbank Riverwalk. The new public space celebrates local music history with interactive features and a Walk of Fame honoring artists with Jacksonville ties. Also, the Jacksonville City Council is advancing efforts to preserve local history...

This week, Dr. Joe looks at how new infections, everyday habits, and lifelong learning all shape our health more than we might realize. As headlines swirl about a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, Dr. Joe explains why this rodent-linked virus is very different from COVID, how the Andes strain spreads, and why public health tools like quarantine and contact tracing keep overall risk low for the...

A recent NBC News poll found that only 38% of Generation Z is looking forward to the future. Nearly half said if they had a choice, they’d travel into the past — a time before social media, cellphones and the sense that both political and planetary environments are increasingly uninhabitable. This vicarious nostalgia for a time they never experienced, known as anemoia, has become commo...

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is seeking millions in fines from the city of Jacksonville over security logs that tracked people carrying firearms into City Hall and the Yates Building. Also, Jacksonville officials are asking for public input on a proposed new special district on Jacksonville's Westside, which could fund local improvements through assessments on commercial properties...

Two months out from the official start of budget season, planning for the mayor’s proposal is well underway, along with hints of potential sticking points. Some members of the Jacksonville City Council are (again) gearing up to fight city health initiatives, and state restrictions on DEI spending threaten support of a range of projects, including funding for the Black, Hispanic and Asian cha...

Jacksonville leaders are pushing forward with a high-profile investigation into city-owned utility JEA, as a special City Council committee votes to pursue subpoenas for executives and key documents tied to allegations involving workplace culture, utility fees, and a planned billion-dollar power plant. Plus, a proposed incentive package for Winn-Dixie is expected to move to a full council vot...

Known as “the King of Ragtime Guitar,” Arthur “Blind” Blake claimed Jacksonville as home, but his blues songs traced a path across the country, from West Coast Blues to Georgia Bound . By the time of his death at age 38, he’d recorded an estimated 80 tracks for Paramount Records, starting in 1926. On the 100th anniversary of that musical milestone, his legacy continue...

A weekend block party in Palatka turned chaotic after police say a driver plowed a truck into a crowd, injuring multiple people and damaging vehicles. Also, Tallahassee prepares for a special legislative session as Florida lawmakers return to work on the state budget after failing to pass one during the regular session for the second straight year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Jacksonville Today associate editor Mike Mendenhall talks with reporter Dan Scanlan about why Jacksonville Transportation Authority suddenly hit pause on its public meetings over the future of the aging Skyway and its autonomous-vehicle successor. They break down which ideas got the most public support—from turning the elevated tracks into a High Line–style trail to replacing or retrof...

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: An influential group of business executives asks the City Council to lay off on its JEA investigation — and the council rejects the request. The surprising results of a community poll show support for a vision of the Skyway that doesn’t involve mass transit. A local woman plans to...