Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
First Coast Connect: Week in Review 08/07/26
news.wjct.org/show/first-coast-connect/2026-08-06/on-fridays-show-first-coast-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 property tax cut, even as a court-ordered change to ballot language could affect its chance of success.
A man accused of a sexually explicit act in public will not be punished by police, leaving the victim calling for a change to the law.
A pair of back-to-school headaches for parents include a possible school bus strike and troubling new data about school fights in Duval.
Jacksonville police respond to community outcry over the controversial arrest of a 14-year-old using a police K-9.
We talk about all that and take your calls, questions and comments. You can join the conversation on air at 904-549-2937 or go to firstcoastconnect.org to find all the ways to connect with us.
Guests:
A.G. Gancarski, reporter at Florida Politics, columnist for Jacksonville Today
Deja Mayfield, reporter/weekend anchor, Action News Jax
Robert Brown, news director at News4Jax
Tiffany Salameh, anchor and investigative reporter at News4Jax
Enclave outrage
Revelations that a new state law could open up more than 6,000 acres of agricultural land to intensive new development in St. Johns County has sparked anger among residents already feeling the pressure of uncontrolled growth. It’s just one issue facing incumbent state Rep. Kim Kendall, who voted for SB 686 and is now getting “a lot of questions” about her vote. We talk to her Republican challenger about what she’d do now that the law is in place, as well as her position on the future use of state parks, a proposed property tax amendment and criminal investigations over a fake voter guide. (First Coast Connect has reached out to Kendall multiple times to appear on the program but have not yet received a response.) First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org. Additional candidate coverage is featured in Jacksonville Today’s political section.
Guest: Diana Patrice Jordan-Baldwin, Republican candidate for Florida House District 18
Topics and guests subject to change.
First Coast Connect: Week in Review 08/07/26
news.wjct.org/show/first-coast-connect/2026-08-06/on-fridays-show-first-coast-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 property tax cut, even as a court-ordered change to ballot language could affect its chance of success.
A man accused of a sexually explicit act in public will not be punished by police, leaving the victim calling for a change to the law.
A pair of back-to-school headaches for parents include a possible school bus strike and troubling new data about school fights in Duval.
Jacksonville police respond to community outcry over the controversial arrest of a 14-year-old using a police K-9.
We talk about all that and take your calls, questions and comments. You can join the conversation on air at 904-549-2937 or go to firstcoastconnect.org to find all the ways to connect with us.
Guests:
A.G. Gancarski, reporter at Florida Politics, columnist for Jacksonville Today
Deja Mayfield, reporter/weekend anchor, Action News Jax
Robert Brown, news director at News4Jax
Tiffany Salameh, anchor and investigative reporter at News4Jax
Enclave outrage
Revelations that a new state law could open up more than 6,000 acres of agricultural land to intensive new development in St. Johns County has sparked anger among residents already feeling the pressure of uncontrolled growth. It’s just one issue facing incumbent state Rep. Kim Kendall, who voted for SB 686 and is now getting “a lot of questions” about her vote. We talk to her Republican challenger about what she’d do now that the law is in place, as well as her position on the future use of state parks, a proposed property tax amendment and criminal investigations over a fake voter guide. (First Coast Connect has reached out to Kendall multiple times to appear on the program but have not yet received a response.) First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org. Additional candidate coverage is featured in Jacksonville Today’s political section.
Guest: Diana Patrice Jordan-Baldwin, Republican candidate for Florida House District 18
Topics and guests subject to change.
