Today on “First Coast Connect,” we spoke with a local Turkish refugee (01:03) about the situation in his native country and the crackdown on dissidents since last year’s attempted coup. We did not reveal his name to protect family members still in Turkey. Cenegenics Jacksonville Medical Director Earl Eye (32:26) told us about a new erectile dysfunction treatment that eliminates the needs for pills or surgery. We were joined by Players By the Sea cast members Lucas Kish and husband-and-wife performers Jimmy and Jessica Alexander (40:51) about the upcoming production of rock musical “American Idiot.” And Kerry Speckman (45:21) told us about this weekend’s events.
Turkish Refugee
It’s a grim occasion in Turkey, as that country marks the one-year anniversary of a failed coup attempt. After last summer’s July 15 attempt to overthrow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, thousands of state employees were fired, jailed or killed in the wake of the coup attempt. Erdogan is also cracking down on followers of his rival, exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen, the man accused of plotting the coup. Gülen now lives in Pennsylvania but could face extradition back to Turkey.
Erectile Dysfunction
A new and non-invasive technique known as GAINSWave is helping men who suffer from erectile dysfunction. Dr. Eye said it’s the first such treatment in Jacksonville that eliminates the use of pills or surgery. The treatment uses high-frequency pulsating sound waves to open up blood vessels to stimulate cells and improve blood flow, which improves sexual function. But it can be expensive, and the treatments are not covered by health insurance.
‘American Idiot’ and Kerry Speckman
“American Idiot” is the story of three disgruntled young men trying to find meaning in a post-9/11 world. The energy-fueled rock opera features songs from Green Day’s breakout, Grammy Award-winning album of the same name. It debuts Friday, July 21, at Players by the Sea and runs until Aug. 12.
Kevin Meerschaert can be reached at kmeerschaert@wjct.org, 904-358-6334 or on Twitter at @KMeerschaertJax.