Following President Trump’s request that Congress claw back two years of federal funding already appropriated for NPR and PBS and their affiliate local stations, we discuss what you can do to weigh in on the future of public media. The “recission” request will be voted on first by the House and, if successful, move to the Senate. WJCT Public Media is urging listeners and viewers who care about their local station to contact their congressmember and urge continued bipartisan support for public media.
Guest: David McGowan, president and CEO of WJCT Public Media
Then, a longstanding lawsuit against the state of Florida and city of Jacksonville over Confederate tributes heads back to federal court Friday. We talk to the plaintiff about why he’s appealing a judge’s dismissal of the case and how he hopes to prevail this time. We also talk with the attorney who defended the lawsuit on behalf of the city of Jacksonville about why he believes the claim has no merit.
Guests:
- Jon Phillips, former Senior Assistant General Counsel for the city of Jacksonville
- Earl Johnson Jr., plaintiff and civil rights activist
And, from social justice to the signs of zodiac, Grammy-nominated composer and activist Carlos Simon draws inspiration from a broad palate of influences. He joins us ahead of the world premiere of his newest symphonic suite, Zodiac, commissioned by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. The June 6 and 7 premiere caps the symphony’s Season 75 Finale, which includes performances of Aaron Copland’s Third Symphony and George Gershwin’s An American in Paris.
Guest: Carlos Simon, composer-in-residence for the John F. Kennedy Center, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra-commissioned composer
Finally, a high school freshman with a proven knack for trading stocks explains how his school’s financial literacy program is racking up virtual profits and teaching real-life skills.
Guests:
- Diedre McNair-Pinkney, teacher, Fletcher High School
- Tiffany Guthrie, vice president of programs at Junior Achievement of North Florida
- Finley Iannello, Fletcher High School freshman and team captain of Bold City Brokers