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PODCAST · news

First Coast Connect

First Coast Connect is an hour-long call-in program that features local newsmakers, civic and community leaders, arts, activities across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, along with spot news features and a weekly roundtable of local journalists.

  1. 20

    It takes a village

    Surrounded by superstores, having lost its primary golf anchors, the state of World Golf Village is like nothing its original residents imagined.

  2. 19

    The triumph of the word nerds

    From the supremacy of podcasting to an entire book devoted to sentence diagramming, the most precise large language model is still human.

  3. 18

    Sunshine on ICE

    A secret federal directive challenges Florida’s public records law.

  4. 17

    First Coast Week in Review

    Ironman fatigue, spiraling subpoenas and an NAACP call for an athlete boycott.

  5. 16

    Flood control

    A city proposal would guide growth and developers away from water hazards.

  6. 15

    Gram Parsons’ Florida legacy

    Author Bob Kealing discusses the long influence and short life of the legendary musician ahead of his Hall of Fame induction.

  7. 14

    Your best, wrong choice

    When it comes to a career, relationship or even a vacation, picking the “best” option might be a mistake.

  8. 13

    The Murdaugh murders

    What a stunning reversal in the Murdaugh case says about vulnerabilities in our jury system.

  9. 12

    First Coast Week in Review

    From concerns about “excessive” law enforcement response to big incentives for The Beef People, we discuss the week’s top headlines with our media roundtable.

  10. 11

    Political analysis with Chris Hand

    Local governments push back on AI data centers.

  11. 10

    Concerns of the 'anxious generation'

    Three members of Gen Z weigh in about planning for the future at a time of grim financial forecasts, dystopian AI predictions and catastrophic environmental realities.

  12. 9

    Ask the Mayor

    From state limits on DEI to resurgent criticism of the city’s telehealth program, we discuss factors shaping the mayor’s upcoming budget plan.

  13. 8

    100 years of Blind Blake

    Jacksonville’s most famous blues musician started making records in 1926.

  14. 7

    First Coast Week in Review

    JTA entertains pedestrian ambitions; the City Council ignores business leaders’ request to drop JEA probe.

  15. 6

    Rental housing crisis

    A new book by two UNF researchers explores what happens when homes become an asset class.

  16. 5

    St. Johns County jail death

    A new investigation explores another in-custody death blamed on the jail's medical provider.

  17. 4

    Dry season

    As Florida experiences one of the worst droughts in decades, we examine the main drivers of the state's water scarcity crisis.

  18. 3

    Seeing red

    After lawmakers adopt an even-more solidly Republican map, we talk to party leaders from both sides about what the future holds for Florida voters.

  19. 2

    First Coast Week in Review

    From Florida’s redistricting to a gutting of the Voting Rights Act, the state’s congressional elections may never be the same.

  20. 1

    Playoff bound

    The Sporting Jax women’s team heads into its final game having dominated the Super League in its inaugural season.

  21. 0

    Like pulling teeth

    As it gets harder for kids to access preventative dental care, experts say emergency rooms have turned into an imperfect emergency catchall.

  22. -1

    Oreos and the Okefenokee

    Why activists are targeting everything from snack manufacturers to chemical corporations in an effort to stem titanium mining in the endangered swamp.

  23. -2

    The Shantyboat Muse

    The writer sometimes known as Jacksonville’s poet laureate is also the demanding editor behind some of the area’s most well-known authors.

  24. -3

    First Coast Week in Review

    Putting out fires, from real-life conflagrations to political ones.

  25. -4

    Government expert Chris Hand

    Election season, Hope Florida and the ongoing battle over redistricting.

  26. -5

    Animal instincts

    Cat advocates want St. Johns County to help neuter strays. Officials there want no part.

  27. -6

    Reverse psychology

    The debate over back-in vs. pull-in parking has become a subject of controversy, internet currency and, in some places, urban policy

  28. -7

    Flow state

    The inaugural “State of the Watershed” offers an Earth Day celebration of the St. Johns River.

  29. -8

    First Coast Week in Review

    State lawmakers still can’t reach a budget deal, and the JEA investigation expands to include communications about a former mayor’s lobbying firm.

  30. -9

    The case for mercy

    A mitigation expert explains how a criminal’s life story affects the death penalty.

  31. -10

    Celebrating Bessie Coleman

    Two historians remember the pioneering Black aviator on the centenary of her death during a Jacksonville air show.

  32. -11

    Courting support

    A state budget decision looms over the future of the once-thriving Black neighborhood of West Lewisville.

  33. -12

    First Coast Week in Review

    Jax taxpayers getting “fleeced”; Duval Schools responds to new pressures to ban books

  34. -13

    Spanish history; Intuition farewell; the great bagel debate

    Anthropologist Judith Bense on America’s oldest colony; brewery owner Ben Davis on the end of an era

  35. -14

    Changing SNAP; Cummer photo exhibit

    A new SNAP ban on sodas, energy drinks and sugary snacks has some people praising nutritional priorities, and others worried about stigmatizing recipients

  36. -15

    A House Call from Dr. Joe

    The best time of day to get chemo, and why some of the most highly processed food is baby food

  37. -16

    Affordable housing initiatives

    A growing number of Jacksonville families are struggling to keep up with housing costs as the city faces a major shortage of affordable homes. Now, leaders are rolling out new efforts to make homeownership more attainable.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

First Coast Connect is an hour-long call-in program that features local newsmakers, civic and community leaders, arts, activities across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, along with spot news features and a weekly roundtable of local journalists.

HOSTED BY

WJCT News

Produced by WJCT Public Media

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does First Coast Connect have?

First Coast Connect currently has 37 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is First Coast Connect about?

First Coast Connect is an hour-long call-in program that features local newsmakers, civic and community leaders, arts, activities across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, along with spot news features and a weekly roundtable of local journalists.

How often does First Coast Connect release new episodes?

First Coast Connect has 37 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to First Coast Connect?

You can listen to First Coast Connect on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts First Coast Connect?

First Coast Connect is created and hosted by WJCT News.
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