This weekend's upcoming Orange Crush Festival is generating some controversy among the Beaches community.
From local businesses closing for the weekend in response to the arrival of festival goers, to JSO clearing out spaces in the jail for potential arrests, some have accused the response of being racist as the festival goers traditionally attracks a predominantly Black crowd.
The three day festival is set to kick off on June 18. It has been touted on Facebook as a Jacksonville Beach music festival but no official events are taking place at a beach venue, although there is a beach day planned.
Jacksonville Beach Mayor Christine Hoffman and Atlantic Beach Mayor pro tem and City Commissioner Brittany Norris joined us to discuss the Orange Crush Festival.
Pride Month In St. Johns County
The St. Johns County Board of Commissioners faces a federal lawsuit due to its refusal to consider a Pride Month proclamation, according to First Coast News.
House of Prism's Sara Bloomberg joined us to discuss the legal wrangling.
Volunteers in Medicine
Free healthcare center Volunteers in Medicine is looking for a new Jacksonville location. Founded in 2003, Volunteers in Medicine provides outpatient healthcare and specialty medical services. The healthcare center caters to working, low-income, uninsured individuals.
Volunteers in Medicine is looking to relocate from its Downtown Duval Street location to a larger space, according to WJCT News partner the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Volunteers in Medicine CEO Jennifer Ryan joined us to discuss the healthcare center moving out of its building.
What’s Good Wednesday
- Local student Erik Williams competed in the National Spelling Bee Primaries.
- First Coast author Craig Seaton wrote the new book, Some Perfect Tomorrow, which documents true stories of grief.
- TIAA Bank and the Jacksonville Jaguars have launched their community champion challenge, which will grant winners $1,000 to give to a charity of their choice.
- The St.Augustine Music Festival is back on. The free music festival is hosting a Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom performance, on Saturday June 19.
- Jacksonville's Cars and Coffee is relaunching as Caffeine & Octane Jacksonville on July 10 at The Avenues mall, while a new car show venture, 904 Octane, will launch outside the WJCT Studios on Sept. 4.
- The Bluegrass, Beer, and Barbecue summer festival is taking place Saturday, June 19 at James Weldon Johnson park.
Mackenzie Guiry can be reached at newsteam@wjct.org
