Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week:
- The City Council president’s jet-setting to a Tampa Bay Rays game raises questions about his strategies for political fundraising.
- A local teachers union struggles for survival after state laws change the rules for membership.
- Enrollment at traditional public schools plummets as charters reach a historic peak.
- Census data contradict the mayor’s claim to have reduced the rate of uninsured residents by 34%, actually suggesting a slight increase.
We talk about all that and take your calls, questions and comments. You can join the conversation on air at 904-549-2937 or go to firstcoastconnect.org to find all the ways to connect with us.
Guests:
- David Bauerlein, metro reporter, The Florida Times-Union
- Obi Umunna, attorney and political consultant
- Megan Mallicoat, education reporter, Jacksonville Today
- Molly Farrar, Report for America corps member, reporter at The Florida Trib
Florida Chamber Music Project
A small ensemble making a big cultural impact on the First Coast is celebrating its 14th season this year. The Florida Chamber Music Project stages concerts September through June, filling the intimate historic space of the Beaches Museum Chapel with a playlist ranging from the classical to the contemporary. Each performance is followed by refreshments and an opportunity to mingle with the players. The first performance features classical compositions by Felix Mendelssohn and Ludwig van Beethoven and a more contemporary piece by Alex Cooper. The concert will be Sunday at the Beaches Museum Chapel and Museum, 505 Beach Blvd. Doors open at 2:30 p.m., and the performance begins at 3 p.m.
Guests:
- Susan Pardue, violist, artistic director and founder, Florida Chamber Music Project
- Patrice Evans, violinist and director of music education, Florida Chamber Music Project
- Ross Winter, violinist, Florida Chamber Music Project
- Laurie Casseday, cellist, Florida Chamber Music Project
Marriage retirement
The first show of the season for a St. Augustine community theater explores the familial fallout when a couple married for 50 years calls it quits. Grand Horizons follows Bill and Nancy, who just moved into a new retirement community, through the turmoil unleashed after they tell their adult children they are getting divorced. Written by Bess Wohl, who won the 2026 Tony Award for Best Play for her latest work Liberation, the play explores whether our deepest love might have an expiration date. A Classic Theatre presents Grand Horizons at The Waterworks on select dates between Sept. 11 and 20.
Guest:
- David Buckman, director, Grand Horizons
- Cindy Alexander, producer and artistic director, A Classic Theatre
- Linda Hall, actress playing Carla
Topics and guests subject to change.