Florida House candidate Art Stresing
He’s worked as a paperboy, a bouncer and a public defender. Now he’s the underdog candidate for state House District 18. We ask Art Stresing about his bid to unseat incumbent Republican state Rep. Kim Kendall. Among the top-of-mind issues for voters in the St. Johns County district is the controversial Agricultural Enclaves bill, approved last legislative session, which led to a deluge of new development proposals, as well as a lawsuit by the County Commission, as it seeks to resist the new law. We ask Stresing about his priorities if elected, and also take your calls and questions. (First Coast Connect reached out to Kendall multiple times to invite her on the program and have not heard back.) 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 media. 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 races in the Jacksonville Today voter guide.
Guest: Art Stresing, Democratic candidate, Florida House of Representatives District 18
School Board candidate Tammie McClafferty
Two first-time political candidates face off in a November runoff for the District 4 seat on the St. Johns County School Board. Tammie McClafferty fell short of the 50% threshold to win the race outright in the August primary, earning 46% of the vote, while opponent Jillian Tozer received 28%. The district, which includes Nocatee and Ponte Vedra Beach, has been represented since 2022 by Kelly Barrera, who is not seeking reelection. McClafferty serves as an assistant professor at Trinity College of Jacksonville and heads Lifework Leadership First Coast, a faith-based leadership development program for Christian business leaders. She has also campaigned for parental rights in the classroom, teacher retention and fiscal accountability. All three of her kids graduated from Nease High School, which is in District 4. 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 media. 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 races in the Jacksonville Today voter guide.
Guest: Tammie McClafferty, candidate, St. Johns County School Board District 4
A zombie planet + ghost stars
Stargazing can be a relaxing or even romantic endeavor, until you realize some of the light clusters might be ghosts, a fact that is both spooky and scientifically fascinating. Scientists know that when a star burns up, the light it emits doesn’t immediately disappear, because photons it releases are traveling light-years through space to reach Earth. But new findings published in the journal Nature Astronomy suggest there could be a “second-generation” planet formed from the remnants of a burned-out star. We break down the significance of the “zombie planet” discovery and ask our resident spaceman just how common ghost stars are.
Guest: Eddie Whisler, director of planetarium and outreach, Museum of Science & History
Topics and guests subject to change.