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First Coast Connect

07/20/15: Red-Light Cameras; SPARK Grant; Cole Pepper

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate whether a political bribery scandal at a company that sells red light cameras extends to the firm's contracts with five Florida cities, including Jacksonville.

The Chicago Tribune reported last month that the former CEO of RedFlex had pleaded guilty in a federal bribery investigation. Also, a Tribune investigation uncovered wrongdoing in a Chicago contract, with allegations involving bribes paid to a politically connected former city official.

RedFlex operates the cameras at intersections all around town and in other major Florida cities.

We discuss the issue with MarkSeiden attorney and professor with Florida Coastal School of Law, and Paul Henry, a retired Florida state trooper who has been lobbying against red light cameras in the state via the Liberty First Network.

The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville is beginning the third year of their SPARK Grant program to support the arts in Downtown Jacksonville. Tony Allegretti, Executive Director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, and Darnell Smith, Market President for North Florida Florida Blue, join us.

And we talk with contributor Cole Pepper about the Jacksonville Armada's win against the New York Cosmos, the British Open and more.

You can subscribe to the First Coast Connect podcast in iTunes.

Sean Birch joined the WJCT team in late 2011 and was with the company until 2016.