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First Coast Connect

9/8/2017: Media Roundtable; Joshua Johnson; North Florida Land Trust

Friday on “First Coast Connect,” our weekly media roundtable included David Cawton from the Financial News and Daily Record and blogger Fred Matthews (00:57). We spoke with “1A” host Joshua Johnson (33:30) and heard about the latest effort to preserve public land from North Florida Land Trust President Jim McCarthy (44:15). 

   

Media Roundtable

Our panel talked about preparing for Hurricane Irma, what we might expect from the storm and the vandalization of the Confederate statue in Hemming Plaza.  

Joshua Johnson

In January, “1A” replaced “The Diane Rehm Show.” Its host, Joshua Johnson, said he wanted to try to reach an audience that isn’t “your typical NPR listener.” He’s hoping to attract people who might be younger but still interested in the major issues of the day. “1A” airs 10 a.m. to noon weekdays on 89.9 FM.  

North Florida Land Trust

McCarthy is going to be lobbying state lawmakers ahead of the next session to discuss funding for land acquisition. In the last budget, no funding was given to programs like Florida Forever, Florida Communities Trust and the Rural and Family Lands Program. The lack of funding has caused NFLT to move away from its Preservation Portfolio, which used research to determine the lands in critical need of preservation. Private donations are allowing them to look at smaller projects, while bigger projects like Black Hammock Island have to wait.

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.