The lives of two people on very different sides of the war on terror — captive and military investigator — form the core of a new documentary film that premieres this weekend at the Golden Isles Film Festival. We talk to the director about why she chose to profile the unusual relationship between the two men and what message she hopes people take from it, regardless of their political position. The festival will be held Thursday to Sunday in downtown Brunswick at multiple venues, including the historic Ritz Theatre on Newcastle Street. The documentary, Leaving Hotel California, will have its U.S. premiere at 3 p.m. Saturday at SoGlo Theatre.
Guests:
- Mark Fallon, former deputy commander of the Criminal Investigation Task Force at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, former NCIS deputy assistant director, director at ClubFed Consulting
- Chimène de Jonge, journalist, director of Leaving Hotel California
Congressional candidate Mike Sell
Describing himself as a progressive populist, Jacksonville healthcare and human resources professional Mike Sell is running as a member of the Florida Forward Party to represent Florida's 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House. And he may have aspirations well beyond that: The custom url on his LinkedIn page is “48thusprez.” Sell faces a crowded field in the upcoming election. Unusual for a November race in Jacksonville, the ballot features a slate of four candidates: Aaron Bean, LaShonda Holloway and Todd Schaefer (no party affiliation) in addition to Sell. Holloway won the Democratic primary in August, and incumbent Republican Aaron Bean was unopposed. We ask Sell about a platform that includes campaign finance reform, clean energy and Medicare for all. We also take your calls and questions. Join the conversation on air by calling 904-549-2937, email comments and questions to firstcoastconnect@wjct.org or go to firstcoastconnect.org to connect with us on social. First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org. Additional candidate coverage is featured in Jacksonville Today’s political section.
Guest: Mike Sell, candidate for Florida’s 4th Congressional District
Celebrating Mandarin
Mandarin is across the river from Orange Park, but it’s more than just a 3-mile bridge that separates them. Known in large part for its tree canopy, both ancient and more-recently planted, Mandarin’s scenic, slow paced community is no accident. Rather it’s the result of hard-fought — often grueling — community advocacy battles that began with the suburban development boom of the 1970s and continued, nearly unabated, through the 1990s. The metaphorical fruit of those labors is on display as part of Scenic Jacksonville’s third annual “Scenic Visions” event. Scenic Visions 2026: A Tale of Two Mandarins includes a guided trolley tour on Saturday and an evening panel discussion on Oct. 29. We talk to the organization’s interim executive director about how the Scenic Vision series aims to connect the community and expand city residents’ sense of what it means to live in a beautiful place.
Guest: Travis Smith, interim executive director of Scenic Jacksonville
Topics and guests subject to change.