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Florida voters head to the polls today for the primary election, with results expected to offer clues about the state’s political direction. Also, Northeast Florida is facing an extreme heat warning today with heat index values reaching as high as 115 degrees.

Florida voters head to the polls today for the primary election, with results expected to offer clues about the state&rsquo;s political direction. Also, Northeast Florida is facing an extreme heat warning today with heat index values reaching as high as 115 degrees.

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 daily routine.

Stay connected to Jacksonville and Northeast Florida with WJCT News Now &mdash; 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&nbsp;First Coast Connect &mdash; 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.
&nbsp;Subscribe and make WJCT News Now part of your daily routine.

 Your daily Jacksonville news from WJCT Public Media. Weekday mornings with anchor Steven Ponson, plus local newsmakers and community conversations from First Coast Connect, hosted by Anne Schindler.

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 highlights from First Coast Connect — the show where local newsmakers, civic leaders, artists, and community voices come together to talk through what's happening in your backyard.

 Subscribe free and make WJCT News Now part of your daily routine.

Stay connected to Jacksonville and Northeast Florida with WJCT News Now &mdash; 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 highlights from First Coast Connect &mdash; the show where local newsmakers, civic leaders, artists, and community voices come together to talk through what's happening in your backyard.
&nbsp;Subscribe free and make WJCT News Now part of your daily routine.

WJCT News Now 

The Morning Report: Primary Election Day is Here

More than 60 years after he traveled to St. Augustine in response to a summons from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rabbi Allen Secher returns to town for a special appearance and performance of a play based on his story. When the Rabbis Came to Town is a one-man play by author and activist Roger Rapoport depicting the historic civil rights protest that landed 16 rabbis and one lay leader in the St. Johns County jail. Secher is the only living member of that original group and will participate in a discussion with First Coast Connect host Anne Schindler after the Thursday night show. We preview the performance and discuss what has changed — and what hasn’t — since the rabbis fateful demonstration.

Guests:


Rabbi Allen Secher, civil and human rights activist, speaker at the When the Rabbis Came to Town event at WJCT Studios


Roger Rapoport, playwright, author of the one-man show When the Rabbis Came to Town

Teaching parents well

Parents and caregivers interested in advocating for their student may not automatically know how to translate that interest into action, which is why the Jacksonville Public Education Fund has created a specific program to fill that need. Parents Who Lead is a nonpartisan, 20-week leadership training program that covers everything from public speaking to understanding educational policy and school district budgets. We talk to two parent participants about how the adult curriculum promises to make school easier and more productive for everyone involved.

Guests:


Latrice Carmichael, parent leader and program coordinator of the Parents Who Lead program at the Jacksonville Public Education Fund


Lindsay Joseph, parent leader, Parents Who Lead

Conversation starter

People walking around Downtown Jacksonville this summer may have noticed a random living room, couch and all, popping up in the middle of city sidewalks. You aren’t crazy. It’s part of a six-week storytelling series called Sitting Room Jax, where neighbors and visitors are invited to take a seat and share city stories, personal histories or just have a conversation. Organizers hope the initiative brings more people Downtown and amplifies untold stories, while also fostering a creative gathering space for people to engage with others in the community. For those who haven’t had a turn on the couch, Sitting Room Jax’s final session is 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Indulgence Southern Bistro. Interested participants can sign up in advance or show up at will.

Guests:


Mesha "Dom" Russell, founder and creative director of Sitting Room Jax


Brea Butler, co-founder and director of operations and brand strategy


Trü Peterson, co-founder and director of creative strategy and engagement

More than 60 years after he traveled to St. Augustine in response to a summons from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rabbi Allen Secher returns to town for a special appearance and performance of a play based on his story. When the Rabbis Came to Town is a one-man play by author and activist Roger Rapoport depicting the historic civil rights protest that landed 16 rabbis and one lay leader in the St. Johns County jail. Secher is the only living member of that original group and will participate in a discussion with First Coast Connect host Anne Schindler after the Thursday night show. We preview the performance and discuss what has changed &mdash; and what hasn&rsquo;t &mdash; since the rabbis fateful demonstration.
Guests:
<ul>
<li>
Rabbi Allen Secher, civil and human rights activist, speaker at the <a href="https://wjct.org/events/screenings/when-the-rabbis-came-to-town/">When the Rabbis Came to Town</a> event at WJCT Studios
</li>
<li>
Roger Rapoport, playwright, author of the one-man show <a href="https://www.rogerrapoport.com/rabbis">When the Rabbis Came to Town</a>
</li>
</ul>
Teaching parents well
Parents and caregivers interested in advocating for their student may not automatically know how to translate that interest into action, which is why the Jacksonville Public Education Fund has created a specific program to fill that need. Parents Who Lead is a nonpartisan, 20-week leadership training program that covers everything from public speaking to understanding educational policy and school district budgets. We talk to two parent participants about how the adult curriculum promises to make school easier and more productive for everyone involved.
Guests:
<ul>
<li>
Latrice Carmichael, parent leader and program coordinator of the <a href="https://www.jaxpef.org/our-work/for-parents/parents-who-lead/">Parents Who Lead</a> program at the Jacksonville Public Education Fund
</li>
<li>
Lindsay Joseph, parent leader, Parents Who Lead
</li>
</ul>
Conversation starter
People walking around Downtown Jacksonville this summer may have noticed a random living room, couch and all, popping up in the middle of city sidewalks. You aren&rsquo;t crazy. It&rsquo;s part of a six-week storytelling series called Sitting Room Jax, where neighbors and visitors are invited to take a seat and share city stories, personal histories or just have a conversation. Organizers hope the initiative brings more people Downtown and amplifies untold stories, while also fostering a creative gathering space for people to engage with others in the community. For those who haven&rsquo;t had a turn on the couch, Sitting Room Jax&rsquo;s final session is 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Indulgence Southern Bistro. Interested participants can <a href="https://msha.ke/sittingroomjax?utm_source=ig&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=link_in_bio&amp;fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAadeEWM6Jz71lUGaVRcB4EdGebhm9WFDQu3BN9_2_2v5mWRp7SHUFkWYFnomhQ_aem_-5TvPFh3AwgV0IxNrafLAg">sign up</a> in advance or show up at will.
Guests:
<ul>
<li>
Mesha "Dom" Russell, founder and creative director of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sittingroomjax/">Sitting Room Jax</a>
</li>
<li>
Brea Butler, co-founder and director of operations and brand strategy
</li>
<li>
Tr&uuml; Peterson, co-founder and director of creative strategy and engagement
</li>
</ul>

First Coast Connect: Rabbinical resistance

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The stage is set for Florida’s November general election, with Republican Byron Donalds facing Democrat David Jolly in the governor’s race. Jacksonville Democrat Angie Nixon also won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate and will face Republican Ashley Moody in November. Get more election results on today's episode.

The stage is set for Florida&rsquo;s November general election, with Republican Byron Donalds facing Democrat David Jolly in the governor&rsquo;s race. Jacksonville Democrat Angie Nixon also won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate and will face Republican Ashley Moody in November. Get more election results on today's episode.

The Morning Report: Florida Governor and U.S. Senate Races Take Shape

At a time when opportunities for female Black entrepreneurs were constrained by gender restrictions and Jim Crow, one Jacksonville businesswoman built a prosperous beauty empire. A new profile of Sophia Nickerson Starks explores how she created the Nickerson’s School of Beauty Culture on Myrtle Avenue in the heart of Durkeeville and transformed it into a model of Black enterprise and financial resilience. We talk to the author of the piece about why he wanted to celebrate Starks’ accomplishments and highlight her lasting legacy.

Guest: Jerry Urso, historian, writer and archival researcher

Right whale documentary

It’s a creature that could potentially live to 130 years or more but has never been known to die of old age. Instead, the actual median lifespan of a North Atlantic right whale is just 22 years — every one of them killed by humans. A new documentary about the whales explores their truncated life and often brutal death with unprecedented access and clarity. From ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements to the heroic (and occasionally even fatal) efforts to save them from human hazards, The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope tracks the crisis faced by the whales and offers a prescription for change. The film is currently on what’s being called “The Calving Grounds Tour,” which follows the path of the migratory species along its annual Georgia-to-Florida path. It includes four stops in Southern Georgia and on the First Coast, including a screening and discussion with the filmmakers from 6-8 p.m. Aug. 25 at Beaches Museum.

Guests:


Cheryl Dean, filmmaker, The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope


Nick Dean, filmmaker, The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope


Chris Hoffman, mayor of Jacksonville Beach, executive director of Beaches Museum

Right outside

It’s no secret that summer is peak season for biting insects in Florida, but the pests pose a special hazard for the unhoused. A new initiative aims to connect homeless individuals to protective resources and expand awareness of the risks presented by mosquitos and ticks. The Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County is partnering with the Anastasia Mosquito Control District to co-host a public education event from 5-7:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the district’s Disease Vector Education Center, at 120 EOC Drive. All who spend time outdoors are welcome to attend.

Guests:


Jeanne Moeller, board member and fundraising chair, Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County
Marion Blohm, case manager, Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County

At a time when opportunities for female Black entrepreneurs were constrained by gender restrictions and Jim Crow, one Jacksonville businesswoman built a prosperous beauty empire. <a href="https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-woman-who-built-jacksonville-s-beauty-empire/">A new profile</a> of Sophia Nickerson Starks explores how she created the Nickerson&rsquo;s School of Beauty Culture on Myrtle Avenue in the heart of Durkeeville and transformed it into a model of Black enterprise and financial resilience. We talk to the author of the piece about why he wanted to celebrate Starks&rsquo; accomplishments and highlight her lasting legacy.
Guest: Jerry Urso, historian, writer and archival researcher
Right whale documentary
It&rsquo;s a creature that could potentially live to 130 years or more but has never been known to die of old age. Instead, the actual median lifespan of a North Atlantic right whale is just 22 years &mdash; every one of them killed by humans. A new documentary about the whales explores their truncated life and often brutal death with unprecedented access and clarity. From ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements to the heroic (and occasionally even fatal) efforts to save them from human hazards, The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope tracks the crisis faced by the whales and offers a prescription for change. The film is currently on what&rsquo;s being called &ldquo;<a href="https://www.spindriftimages.com/screenings">The Calving Grounds Tour</a>,&rdquo; which follows the path of the migratory species along its annual Georgia-to-Florida path. It includes four stops in Southern Georgia and on the First Coast, including a screening and discussion with the filmmakers from 6-8 p.m. Aug. 25 at <a href="https://www.beachesmuseum.org/events/the-right-whale-closing-reception-and-film-screening/">Beaches Museum</a>.
Guests:
<ul>
<li>
Cheryl Dean, filmmaker, The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope
</li>
<li>
Nick Dean, filmmaker, The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope
</li>
<li>
Chris Hoffman, mayor of Jacksonville Beach, executive director of Beaches Museum
</li>
</ul>
Right outside
It&rsquo;s no secret that summer is peak season for biting insects in Florida, but the pests pose a special hazard for the unhoused. A new initiative aims to connect homeless individuals to protective resources and expand awareness of the risks presented by mosquitos and ticks. The Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County is partnering with the Anastasia Mosquito Control District to co-host a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/homelesscoalition.stjohnscounty/posts/mosquitoes-get-plenty-of-attention-in-florida-ticks-deserve-some-toothe-homeless/1036773658990867/">public education event</a> from 5-7:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the district&rsquo;s Disease Vector Education Center, at 120 EOC Drive. All who spend time outdoors are welcome to attend.
Guests:
<ul>
<li>
Jeanne Moeller, board member and fundraising chair, Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County
</li>
<li>Marion Blohm, case manager, Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County</li>
</ul>

The Morning Report: Primary Election Day is Here

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