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First Coast Connect

12/6/2017: Riverkeeper Injunction; Northeast Florida TPO Survey; DeSean Kirkland

Kevin Meerschaert
/
WJCT

Wednesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman about an injunction the group filed to postpone the dredging of the St. Johns River (01:01).

North Florida Transportation Planning Organization spokesperson Marci Larson talked about a survey of the region’s residents being conducted regarding their traffic and transportation concerns in the area (30:05).

Singer-songwriter DeSean Kirkland joined the show to tell us about an upcoming Christmas concert and to perform live in-studio (46:00). 

Riverkeeper Dredging  Injunction

The St. Johns Riverkeeper has filed a motion to postpone the impending dredging project of the St. Johns River.

The Riverkeeper is going to court to call a halt to dredging, until what the organization is calling  significant deficiencies in the studies by the U.S Army Corp of Engineers are addressed and resolved.

In 2013, the Corps authorized a plan by JAXPORT to deepen the last 13 miles of the river channel from 40 to 47 feet to accommodate larger Post-Panamax ships.

JAXPORT now says to reduce costs it would only dredge 11 miles of the Channel.

But there are worries that the studies by the Army Corps of Engineers are out of date due to possible environmental damage to the river by Hurricane Irma.

Northeast Florida TPO Survey

Does traffic and congestion around town get you down? Here’s your chance to sound off and give YOUR opinions about how to improve transportation issues here in Northeast Florida.

The North Florida TPO, in concert with FDOT,  has been conducting a major household travel surveysince late October. The password to participate is “survey.”

Now, the North Florida Travel Survey has been extended to accept responses through December 15.  Prizes will be awarded to some of the participants, all personal information collected will remain private

Editorial Disclosure: The North Florida TPO is an underwriter of First Coast Connect.

DeSean Kirkland

Musician DeSean Kirkland had great success with his first album Genesis and now has released a new selection of tunes for the holidays called Christmas.

He will be performing a concert of Christmas music at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at The Eagles Nest. Next year he’ll be performing in New York City and has been invited to attend the Grammy Awards.  

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.