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First Coast Connect

4/23/2018: Jim Casey; Faith And Mental Health Conference; Dining Out For Life; Cole Pepper

Yuri Gripas/AFP/Getty Images

Monday on First Coast Connect  we spoke with former Special Agent in Charge of Jacksonville’s FBI Field Office Jim Casey about former FBI director James Comey and Comey’s new book (01:11).

Reverend Patricia McElroy and Dr. Terri Andrews from Baptist Health told us about this week’s Faith and Mental Health conference (30:14).

We heard about Thursday’s Dining Out for Life to raise funds for AIDS research with NFAN’s Manuel Andrade and Paige Kelton and Derrick Odom from Action News (38:00).

Cole Pepper told us who the Jaguars may draft this week along with the Armada opening their season on Saturday (46:00).   

Jim Casey

He’s no longer the head of the FBI, but former director James Comey is still a major player in the ongoing Russia probe being led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Comey has been making the media rounds over the last week to promote his new book, A Higher Loyalty, detailing his experiences with President Trump as the investigation began and grew.

The investigation so far has either indicted or gotten guilty pleas from nearly two dozen people, including four former Trump advisers.

Casey provided analysis of the probe.

Faith and Mental Health Conference

Baptist Health’s Faith and Mental Health conference is coming up later this week.

The purpose of the conference is to explore ways for faith and mental health professionals to work together to improve the overall mental health of residents in our community. Expanded mental health services mark one of Northeast Florida’s greatest needs, according to the 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment.

Dining Out For Life

This Thursday, some of the best restaurants in town will be donating a percentage of their profits to fight the growing AIDS epidemic here on the First Coast.

The 2018 Dining Out For Life event will benefit Northeast Florida AIDS Network, a non-profit organization that serves the city’s more than 6,000 people living with HIV/AIDS.

Cole Pepper

The 2018 NFL Draft starts Thursday. The Jaguars have the 29th pick so it likely will be about three hours before we know who they select.

Georgia held their spring football game on Saturday and the Jacksonville Armada’s new season in the NPSL opens on Saturday.      

Kevin Meerschaert can be reached at kmeerschaert@wjct.org, 904-358-6334 or on Twitter at @KMeerschaertJax.

Kevin Meerschaert has left WJCT for new pursuits. He was the producer of First Coast Connect until October of 2018.