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WJCT News Now
Stay connected to Jacksonville and Northeast Florida with WJCT News Now — your free, daily news podcast from WJCT Public Media. Every morning, anchor Steven Ponson breaks down the headlines you need to start your day informed. Then go deeper with First Coast Connect — the show, hosted by Anne Schindler, is where local newsmakers, civic leaders, artists, and community voices come together to talk through what's happening in your backyard. Subscribe and make WJCT News Now part of your…
Episodes
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Literacy Rates in Duval and Heat Advisories Today Area-Wide
School is back across Northeast Florida, with Duval County students returning to class as the district works to improve literacy rates that remain below the…
WJCT News NowHouse District 13 candidate Audrey Gibson
From her first election in 2002, to her years in the state House and Senate, to her unsuccessful bids for Jacksonville mayor and City Council, Audrey Gibson…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: School Bus Driver Strike Averted and Main Street Bridge Upcoming Closures
School bus drivers in Duval County are not on strike as the new school year begins after a late-night agreement was reached between Teamsters Local 512 and…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Week in Review
Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: First responders sound the alarm over a proposed…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Early Voting Begins in Duval and Flock Cameras Around Jacksonville
Early voting begins today in Duval County for the Primary Elections and for a special Jacksonville City Council race, with polling locations open through…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: In the zone
From its sold-out inaugural game last May to its current standing at the top of the upstart UpShot league, Jacksonville’s first-ever pro women's…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Downtown Publix Incentives Paused and Possible School Bus Driver Strike in Duval
A major incentive package for Gateway Jax's proposed Publix-anchored development in downtown Jacksonville has been sent back for revisions. Meanwhile…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Candidates at large
A recent infusion of cash has upped the ante in the race for the Jacksonville City Council At-Large Group 1 seat. Democrat Moné Holder now leads the…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Duval School Lunch Costs and Property Tax Amendment Changes
School lunch prices are increasing for some Duval County Public Schools students as the district prepares for the start of the school year, while free…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Congressional candidate LaShonda 'L.J.' Holloway
After four prior attempts at a Florida congressional seat (both Districts 4 and 5), Democrat LaShonda “L.J.” Holloway has again set her sights on…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Primary Voting Ahead in Florida and Downtown Jax Restaurant Reopening
Early voting begins this week across Northeast Florida ahead of the August 18 primary election, with the Republican race for Florida governor among the…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds
The race to replace Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is heating up as the Aug. 18 primary quickly approaches with several candidates eyeing the governor's mansion…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Jacksonville E-Bike Rules Proposed and Controversial Gas Station Plan Pulled
Jacksonville City Council members are considering new regulations for e-bikes, including a 10-mile-per-hour speed limit, age restrictions and helmet…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Week in Review
Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: City Council falls short to override a mayoral veto…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: New Changes Before The Start of School
Duval County Public Schools is adding 26 electric school buses as part of an effort to modernize student transportation, reduce emissions and lower long-term…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Full support
The next step to providing wrap-around services for Jacksonville’s unhoused community is underway. Sulzbacher, Northeast Florida’s largest homeless…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Temporary JEA Leadership Change and Proposed Property Tax Amendment Wording
JEA CEO Vickie Cavey is taking an extended leave of absence, with Chief Administrative Officer Jody Brooks serving as interim CEO. Also, a Tallahassee judge is…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Sacred preservation
St. Mary's Episcopal Church has been a cornerstone of Palatka's Newtown community for more than 140 years. Earlier this month, the historic church earned a…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Extreme Heat in Northeast Florida and JTA’s Unpaid Bills
Northeast Florida faces dangerous heat today, severe storms, and flash flooding. Plus, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority has more than $15 million in…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Broken system
A thrilling crime drama staging at the 5 & Dime Theatre seeks to showcase the imperfections of the American criminal justice system. American Son, written by…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: JEA Underbilled Fees Update and Fishback Stays On The Ballot
A Jacksonville City Council auditor’s report says JEA may have underbilled commercial customers by $55 million in water capacity fees since 2003. Also, a…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Stopping the cycle
Tony Williams joined the Salvation Army’s Batterers Intervention Program in 2025 after an argument with his girlfriend turned violent. He was arrested…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Former Jax City Council President Running Again
A former Jacksonville City Council president is entering the race for District 4, setting up a likely challenge to incumbent Kevin Carrico ahead of next…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Red flags
Starting a business out of “fear and desperation” may not be ideal, especially when you do it in the midst of a global economic crisis…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Week in Review
Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: Is Moms For Liberty losing its grip on local school…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: St. Johns Development and More Buckman Bridge Closures
More than 6,500 acres of agricultural land in St. Johns County could be developed for housing under a new state law, with six proposals now under review. Also…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: New Downtown Retail Options and Championship Game Coming to Jax
Gateway Jax announces new retail tenants for The Vandeveer, the first project in its $750 million Pearl Square District in downtown Jacksonville. Also, the…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Congressional challenger
A Democrat in a heavily Republican district takes on a well-financed incumbent. If it sounds familiar, it’s because she’s lived this before…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Jacksonville’s Capital Plan and St. Johns Commissioners Plan To Stay
Jacksonville’s proposed capital improvement plan includes hundreds of millions of dollars for projects including EverBank Stadium renovations and the…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Actuality, not austerity
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan presented her $2.03 billion budget Monday, choosing not to presage the fiscal impacts of a proposed property tax cut, which…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Jacksonville’s Budget Proposal and Florida’s Property Tax Debate
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is proposing a more than $2 billion budget that includes increased funding for public safety, road projects and septic tank…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: The 'blast radius' of property tax cuts
Today, former Republican lawmaker Jeff Brandes discusses what he calls “the blast radius nobody is talking about” if a property tax cut is approved…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: New City of Jacksonville Budget Proposal and New Carriage Rules in St. Aug.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is set to present her proposed city budget, outlining spending priorities for the coming fiscal year and kicking off the annual…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Week in Review
Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: ICE agents are involved in three deaths in just one…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Airport Authority Standoff Update & Local Congressional Candidate Arrest
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority votes on a decision to delay legal action against the city for 30 days while pursuing mediation over a dispute about…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: St. Johns Gold Rush
Well, that escalated quickly. Just hours after a new state law took effect offering a fast track to develop Florida’s farmlands, four large-scale…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Vigil for Man Hit and Killed Fleeing ICE in St. Johns and Voter Deadline Quickly Approaching
A vigil in St. Johns County honors a man who died while fleeing ICE agents, as organizers call attention to concerns over immigration enforcement. We also…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: No defense
Connor Cauley, one of the “City Hall Three,” was recently released from jail after serving a 60-day sentence for battery on a law enforcement…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: ICE Stop Turns Deadly in St. Johns and Culinary Institute of America Picks Jax
A man fleeing federal immigration agents was struck and killed by a semi-truck in St. Johns County on Tuesday. Plus, Jacksonville has been selected as the…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Ask the Mayor
Should Jacksonville adopt a data center moratorium? And what does a potential lawsuit by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority against the city mean for the…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Harris Teeter Grocery Plans in FL and JTA Leadership Update
Jacksonville's planned Harris Teeter grocery store remains on track despite reports the chain has scaled back its broader Florida expansion. Plus, JTA CEO Nat…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Making history
A lawsuit challenging the limits of city power is taking shape. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority is preparing to take the city to court for allegedly…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Moving Soon and St. Johns Fake Voter Guide Update
Jacksonville’s sheriff says the department will complete its move from its longtime downtown headquarters to a Riverside office tower by the end of the…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Week in Review
Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: Election season starts with a bang as three St. Johns…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: EverBank Staying Downtown & Daily's Gas Station Proposal Rejected
Jacksonville-based EverBank will keep its headquarters downtown after questions about its future location, and the St. Johns County Planning and Zoning Board…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Congressional candidate Brit Robinson
Our election season coverage continues with 4th Congressional District candidate Brit Robinson. The self-described Democratic Socialist is positioning herself…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Helping Duval Students in Need and Updated Hurricane Season Forecast
Thousands of Duval County Public Schools students are experiencing homelessness, and a local nonprofit is turning to basketball to raise awareness and support…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: 'Addictive, unsafe and ineffective'
The Mayo Clinic calls it addictive, unsafe and ineffective. Opponents call it “gas station heroin.” But for Patti Wheeler, it’s the tragic…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: NE FL Heat Advisory and New Fernandina Beach E-Bike Rules
A Heat Advisory is in effect across Northeast Florida as forecasters warn that feels-like temperatures could reach up to 110 degrees. Also, Fernandina Beach…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Squatters' rights
A Jacksonville landlord’s real-life squatters nightmare drew local and national attention for dramatically highlighting the maddening legal hurdles some…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Fake St. Johns Voter Guide Charges and New Riverfront Plaza Restaurant
Charges have been filed against five people, including two sitting St. Johns County commissioners and a St. Augustine Beach city commissioner, in connection…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Representing Florida
With the passing of July 4th, election season gets underway in earnest, along with our candidate interviews. Firebrand First Coast lawmaker Angie Nixon joins…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Duval Libertarian Candidate Remains on Ballot and JTA CEO retiring
A judge has ruled that a Libertarian candidate can remain on the ballot in Jacksonville’s upcoming City Council special election, setting up a three-way…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: Flooded with pollution
The dividing lines created or reinforced by segregation and redlining sustain a toxic tide, according to a new report in The Florida Trib. Intensive flooding…
WJCT News NowThe 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…
WJCT News NowFirst 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…
WJCT News NowThe 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…
WJCT News NowFirst 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…
WJCT News NowThe Morning Report: Duval School Principal Arrested and State Budget Vetoes
The Baldwin Middle-Senior High School principal is facing a felony charge after an allegation that he failed to report child abuse. Also, Florida Governor Ron…
WJCT News NowFirst Coast Connect: In the blood
Decades of industrial manufacturing has polluted both ground and water in Brunswick, Georgia, and surrounding Glynn County, which is home to four federally…