First Coast Connect With Melissa Ross

An author who says she loves Florida enough to hate it releases a new book of essays on life in the Sunshine State.

An attorney and advocate makes her bid for Florida House District 13.

From the administration's budget balancing act to law enforcement's opposition to property tax cuts, we discuss recent headlines with Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan.

After three decades seeking and holding state and local office, the Democrat explains why she's running to return to the state Capitol.

Law enforcement criticizes the “staggering” impact of proposed property tax cuts.

With the team leading the inaugural UpShot league, we sit down with Jacksonville's first pro women's B-ball squad.

After positive recent polling, the perennial congressional candidate hopes the fifth time's the charm.

We ask congressman Byron Donalds, a Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidate, about his stance on AI regulation, immigration, property taxes, school choice and more.

City Council fails to override a mayoral veto; lane reductions are considered in the Brooklyn neighborhood; JEA's CEO takes a leave of absence.

The next phase of Sulzbacher's Enterprise Village is underway. We discuss the origins of the project and the significance of moving core services for the area's unhoused community out of Downtown.

St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Palatka, one of Florida's oldest and most significant Black churches, earns a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

A Florida trial attorney witnessed decades of racial bias within the criminal justice system. He decided to write a play about it.

Duval County reported nearly 5,300 domestic violence offenses in 2024 as a Northeast Florida program that helps batterers stop the cycle reports a surge in success.

No-show lawmakers called out as “cowards”; Moms For Liberty losing political omnipresence in school board races.

A former Jacksonvillian makes the jump from local television to the self-help shelves with his book "The Red Apples Way."

Democratic congressional candidate Rachel Grage discusses her fight to unseat a four-term incumbent.

We break down Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan's proposed $2+ billion budget with political analyst Chris Hand.

Former Republican state Sen. Jeff Brandes says the real devastation caused by a proposed property tax cut will be the loss of local control.

A local ICE death, an AI-prone School Board candidate, and concerns about execution overkill.

New state laws will fast-track the development of thousands of acres in the increasingly growth-averse county.

A new Florida law makes resisting arrest, even if the officer's actions are deemed illegal or excessive, legally indefensible.

We ask the mayor about the future of data centers in Jacksonville and a potential lawsuit by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.

The Nation's Oldest City elects its first Black mayor.

A child abuse reporting crackdown; investigating the "investigation" at Douglas Anderson; and three St. Johns County officials arrested in a voter scam.

A self-described Democratic Socialist looks to unseat the longtime Republican incumbent.

As the DEA announces an emergency ban on synthetic Kratom, a local mom whose son died from the drug pushes for a broader, more permanent fix.

State Rep. Angie Nixon on why she's running for U.S. Senate.

A new report examines how America's longstanding racial divides amplify the impacts of climate change.

Investigative reporter Jason Garcia explores what happens to Florida cities and small town budgets if voters approve property tax cuts.

As the National Park Service shifts preservation priorities, some fear expanded development of Georgia's pristine National Seashore.

A five-year pollution study kicks off after research finds chemical pollution in the bloodstreams of South Georgia residents.

Dueling realities for JEA CEOs: The current one testifies before City Council; the former is back in court.

A scholarly study titled “Confederates in the Cul de Sac” examines how a community's name affects its racial diversity.

Locals worry they're being priced out of the Nation's Oldest City.

Local activists petition JEA to phase out climate warming fossil fuels, including coal.

Environmental attorney and author Clay Henderson breaks down the key players and history of state-funded conservation efforts in Florida and where protections stand today.

As proposed property tax cuts loom, city officials look to balance the budget and Duval voters will consider supplementing teacher salaries.

Jacksonville civil rights activist and historian Rodney L. Hurst Sr. reflects on the importance of Juneteenth and his role during the Civil Rights Movement.

An American Lung Association employee discovers she has lung cancer thanks to a national study based in Jacksonville.

Food journalist Hanna Raskin explains how Downtown dining is getting a boost from restaurant incentives.

AI slop enters campaign mode; Kevin Carrico's public records are finally released; and city funding for a Downtown Publix remains uncertain

A conversation with the Democratic candidate for Florida attorney general.

A local youth and labor delegation returns from Cuba to report on life under the embargo.

From tax revenue shocks to slowdowns at a local EV factory, we take the city's fiscal pulse in our monthly Ask the Mayor segment.

From the future of a downtown Publix to his plans for politically diverse leadership, we sit down with the incoming council leader ahead of his year at the helm

Erin Brockovich versus data centers; local governments grapple with dire tax cut potentialities.