First Coast Connect With Melissa Ross

A proposed 6-cent gas tax to fund long delayed infrastructure improvements across the city has sparked debate. Should some of that money go toward a revamp of the downtown Skyway?

On this week’s Friday Media Roundtable, we discussed some of the top stories in Northeast Florida, including:

A proposed $379 million overhaul and expansion of what is today known as the Skyway system in Downtown Jacksonville faces questions from City Council members as they prepare for a likely vote on doubling the local gas tax.  

The CDC and the FDA recommended “a pause” in the usage of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to reports of rare blood clotting. However, public officials are still urging citizens to continue getting vaccinated with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

As the pandemic persists, parents and teachers alike have pressured the state to give students a break from standardized testing this year.   

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Assistant Chief Lakesha Burton joined us to discuss her plan to run for Jacksonville Sheriff in 2023

On this week’s Friday Media Roundtable, we discussed some of the top stories in Northeast Florida, including:

Coronavirus infections have ramped up in the nation. Specifically, half of the new infections are in five states;  including Florida, which is seeing variants of the deadly virus.

With people 16 and older now eligible for a COVID vaccination in Florida, the push is on to convince the state's entire adult population to get a shot.

There has been a lot of recent discussion and debate over how best to activate Jacksonville’s Downtown waterfront areas.

The JTA has voted to support a six cent gas tax. The local mask mandate has been lifted and the age to receive a COVID vaccine has been lowered to age 16 and up.

On this week’s Friday Media Roundtable, we discussed some of the top stories in Northeast Florida, including:

Civil rights groups have filed a federal lawsuit against Georgia’s new voting law.  

The city of Jacksonville’s Housing and Community Development Division plans to distribute more than $4 million of federal funds to Duval County residents to help those who have fallen behind in mortgage payments due to a loss of income related to COVID-19.

A number of cities and states around the country are easing back on their pandemic lockdown rules.  

The Duval County Public Schools distrist is continuing an intense local discussion about renaming nine public schools. Most of the school names have associations with the Confederacy.

On this week’s Friday Media Roundtable, we discussed some of the top stories in Northeast Florida, including:

It’s been just over a year since the state’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities were locked down to protect residents from COVID-19. Now, Florida officials have quietly rescinded the emergency rules.

Jacksonville groups continue their efforts to get local schools renamed, as a Robert E. Lee High School teacher told News4Jax that she was instructed by administrators to remove a “Black Lives Matter” flag from her classroom.

Vice President Kamala Harris stopped in Jacksonville Monday, visiting both this city’s FEMA vaccination site and Feeding Northeast Florida, where she took part in a roundtable about food insecurity.  

COVID-19 vaccine availability increased Monday to include Floridians 50 and up, as announced by Governor DeSantis on Friday.  

On this week’s Friday Media Roundtable, we discussed some of the top stories in Northeast Florida, including:

Proposed voting changes in Florida are raising some eyebrows with election experts.

A Florida State House subcommittee has approved a bill to enact a 10 percent THC cap on smokable medical cannabis and restrict THC levels to 60% in other marijuana products.

Anyone age 60 and older can now be vaccinated against the coronavirus in Florida. At the same time, people who don’t fit into the eligible categories have been successful - sometimes - in getting leftover shots at the end of the day.         

One site where that type of standby has been happening is at Edward Waters College, which is a site run by Agape Family Health. The organization's CEO, Mia Jones, joined us with more on the vaccination process.  

Voting Rights

The Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center has released a new report called “Sounding the Alarm: Criminalization of Black Girls in Florida.”

On this week’s Friday Media Roundtable, we discussed some of the top stories in Northeast Florida, including:

It has now been a full year since the documented start of the COVID-19 pandemic here in the U.S.

As the number of medical marijuana patients in Florida continues to grow, some state lawmakers are exploring a possible cap on the level of  THC in medical marijuna products.

The Jacksonville City Council’s Special Committee on Resiliency has unanimously approved its final report, which outlines many of the threats climate change poses to Jacksonville, and lays out recommended actions the city can take to protect itself.