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City News 89 nine.

Good morning.

I'm in Schundler and it's Friday which means it's time for first coast connects week in review.

Among our topics, a hologram of the mayor isn't real, but it is making some cit council members genuinely angry.

A local attorney is arrested for smuggling paper dope into the jail.

A new homeless enforcement law is pushing some unhoused residents to the beaches.

A controversial governor governor candidate surfaces.

And West Coast fires Kindl local memories of devastation.

To talk about all that more I'm joined by First Coast news anchor and reporter Jasmine Monroe.

Good morning, Jasmine.

The Morning and Jim Piggott, longtime cit hall reporter at News for Jax.

Welcome back, Jonah.

It's interesting to be here.

It's a lot of fun.

I think it's great.

Have you think So far, so good.

John Bachman, former anchor at News for Jack excuse me, Former Action News Jack and now partner at Bachman Gardner Communications.

Hey, John.

Hello.

Hello.

It's good to be here.

Thank you very much.

You also hear former city council member and attorney Randy to for how are you doing this morning?

Good morning and thanks for having me.

Thank you for being here.

So let's start with a story of a local criminal defense attorney is arrested on Sunday, allegedly for bringing drug soaked paperwork into the Duvall County jail.

Jasmine, what exactly is being alleged here?

Yeah, So basically, what's being alleged, this operation in is what they had under called stamp collection was launched back in February of 2024 due to the rising of the drug overdoses inside of the jail.

So this was synthetic marijuana.

His name is the defense attorney.

Is Nathaniel Williams in it?

This operation, of course, was something that, you know, he was thinking that he was getting away with but it was under investigation for, you know, almost a year now.

So with that being said, the overdoses in the jail they said, dropped from 23 into 22 to 23 I should say, to nine in 2024.

And Williams faces 8/3 degree felonies for his involvement.

So I think, you know, actually, one of my first stories ever covering back in Pittsburgh was a defense attorne smuggling cell phones into jail.

So, you know, that's a big thing, too, as well.

But I think people tend to when you're getting away with it, you think that you're never going to get caught.

But Sheriff T.K.

Waters and the undersheriff mentioned, you know, it doesn't matter who you are You know, you take that pledge.

And when it come to being a defense attorney, you they trust you to be doing what you're supposed to be doing.

But this synthetic drug or K2 on the street is what it's known for.

It's it's soaked papers and, you know, bring them in the briefcase.

You can't even, you know, sometimes drug sniffin dogs can't even tell what it is.

And so they say that he was specifically using his access as a defense attorney.

So he' meeting with clients in the jail and then passing them this paperwork disguised as kind of legal documents.

Yes.

So, you know basically we couldn't see what was in those legal documents.

But it honestly doesn't matter, you know, when some of the poison controls stories that we got a chance to see, they say it' easy, you know, But oftentimes you don't even know what tha synthetic drug is doused with.

It could be rat poisoning, it could be anything.

But it's basically just a chemical drug.

And, you know, you lay those papers inside of it, soak it in, and then you can bring it in via anywhere.

Sometimes, oftentimes on airplanes and things like that, too, as well.

Yeah.

And John Buckman, this is obviously concerning for jail officials who've been dealing.

As Jasmine noted, there's been a number of overdose deaths, a lot of them kind of fentanyl related overdose deaths in and I should say a lot.

I mean, there's been, you know, fewer than ten.

But of course, any is a problem in this K2 drug in particular has been a problem around the country for years.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And creating, you know, problems in in you know, usually with with K2 though, you know, when when we were reporting on it regularly it was more of the of an access.

Right.

Like it's a synthetic drug that you could find at a gas station.

And so kids were able to get access to it rather than, you know, some of the other drug that were maybe harder to get.

But anyway, yo always heard about it that way.

You didn't this is kind of the a unique situatio where you're hearing about it, you know, being put on paper and smuggled in somewhere.

Yeah.

And this is also, Jim, this is a drug that I know that in New York there was kind of this like zombie incident where there was people who are just kind of like disabled by this drug.

And now Florida, too.

I remember the case where the guy went crazy.

And so it can be I mean, obviously from controlling the environment inside of a correctional, a lot of people are looking at it.

This is the first time they've heard of it happening like this in the jail.

You know, we've heard of drug overdoses in the jail before.

There have been deaths in their lawsuits as a result of that.

And now with this case, they're taking a look.

Again, those lawyers and Randy, you know, are looking at this and saying, hey, does this apply to where these overdoses have occurred?

Because of this drug?

I don't think within the jail there have been any overdoses from it.

Is that.

That's correct.

From what T.K.

WATTERS was saying, I can't speak on that.

But I. I would say yes and no.

I mean, like, as we said, you know, fentanyl has been a problem, right?

This particular usage, I don't think that they've tied to any overdoses directly to this transaction that they busted him on.

But I knew when they started that news conference, they were talking about the seriousness of overdoses.

And then Randy to for.

Yeah I mean, would that be something that attorney are going to get involved with?

Well I think what's going to happen is I mean, first of all, it's despicable as an attorney.

I mean, that's a violation of trust in the oath we take as an attorney.

And he'll obviously be disbarred and incarcerated.

But I think they're going t have to look what that's going to impact is what can a lawyer give to their client?

Right.

And in the jail I'm sure that's going to have a and will be searches and whatnot, correct?

Well, I mean, I've already time testing.

I mean, like I mean, there's testing of the paperwork.

But I think the thing that was so, you know, jarring, too, as well, what the undersheriff was talking about was you don't know how to particularly handle what's happening, the overdoses, because you don't know what that inmate had taken.

So it's something that you ca either shoot up, you can smoke.

So you really don't know how to handle it, because they were saying some some of the inmates were suffering from seizures and hallucinations.

So I think that's the scary part, too, as well.

Yeah.

And I mean, I know that there have been rules at the jail in the past to prevent the passage of paper from, you know, to inmates.

And that's restricted investigators.

For a while, they were having to use iPads or tablets of some kind to sort of show their clients paperwork.

But it's a huge challenge to do that.

And and I think that, you know, up until now, lawyers themselves really have been trusted to handle that paperwork.

But now they're going to have to hand all of it over, have it copied or have the originals destroyed before they can.

And I'm sure that comes at a cost, right?

I mean, someone's paying for that a cost.

And I would think jus I mean, it makes it an enormous hassle for attorney who are in and out of the jail trying to try and do their job, you know, to represent their clients.

I mean, it's a that's why it's, again, for an attorney to do this is just despicable.

Have we heard of this happening at other facilities?

Yeah, I mean, it is a really widespread problem.

And in fact, you know there's been some research as to what happened during COVID, because that was a really interesting example of under lockdown.

You know, did the flow of drugs into correctional facilities stop because, you know family visits were off limits.

They were limiting you know, all kinds of access.

The only people that could get in there were essentially attorneys.

And the people that worked there.

And they found that the the usage and the presence of drugs increased enormously in that increased.

Yeah.

The Miami Times or Miam Herald did a big story on that.

So it is interesting.

Obviously, there's been concerns about correctional facilities and the people who work there.

There have been arrests, you know, even in this facility of former employees, Jim, that had been arrested for bringing drugs in.

I do remember that from the past years.

But, I mean, this whole idea of paper that just still surprises me.

I remember at one time, LSD used to be like you could you could pass out as paper, but I was just showing a page there.

But yeah, I know I am.

But that's what I recall.

And that's what this surprised me, that, you know, the documents on this.

And I was surprised they didn't show us what type of documents when I saw that in the news and they showed the paperwork, it was all blacked out.

And I mean, it's things like that because you don't know if it's the ink or, you know, what exactly is it?

I mean, I would of, of course, love to investigate further along into this.

But it it if you're a lawyer or an attorney, you're going inside of a jail, honestly, trying to do your job.

It just makes that more a on more step that you have to do.

And sometimes that can hinder a complete investigation.

I mean, John, this does impact families to the extent that, you know, in trying to cut down on contraband.

There have been moves, for instance, in the prison system to move inmates further away from family and friends to make that more difficult or to restrict or eliminate mail altogether.

There's all kind of there are all kinds of consequences to anything like this when yo when you have a breach.

Right.

Because the the automatic reaction is the shut it dow and to keep it from happening.

So, yeah, you've got you've got the unintended consequences of added steps that attorneys will have to probably go through in order to get to their client.

Perhaps they start limiting even further the contact that family members have o friends have with with inmates.

I mean, yeah, this it's always, you know, the one bad apple spoils the bunch.

So it's it'll have consequences for sure at least in the in the short term.

And then we'll see whether it sort of ebbs back, you know, as things relax as you go forward.

And Randy, obviously, this has to be, you know, go through the criminal justice system.

He is not convicted.

He's just been arrested.

He's bonded out.

But what practically speaking, happens to this man's client in the end?

Well, this man will be suspended, I would imagine, immediately from the bar.

And the client is will have to find another, you know, attorney.

Yeah, it happens that quickly.

I mean, I feel like there's at least one other case I've been following of an attorney who got arrested for something and still has clients, so.

Well, that's shocking.

It may not.

I mean, if I were the client, I would go ahead and find another attorney.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

But we don't know what th the client may be facing, too.

I mean, if there was some some people.

Right.

So that did tha he was currently representing.

No, no, no, Jack.

They arrested 21 individuals so he wasn't the only person to.

I gotcha.

So they may have arrested the client, too, because likely there was an exchange of and they say what the other 21 people who they were.

I don't know.

I mean, I'm just curious because if they were.

Yeah, yeah.

Who else was involved, Right.

And how.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, if you're just joining us, we're talking about the biggest headlines of the week.

If you would like to join our conversation, you can give us a call at 9045492937.

You can also emai first Coast Connect at WJC talk.

And if you want to look at all these lovely faces, you can check out our live stream on the WJC YouTube page or on Facebook.

I want to move on now to a topic, a new sort of take them down debate not over the Confederate statues for once, but over an airport hologram.

New feature at the Jacksonville Airport.

Welcoming guests, the mayor in this little bo and it has proven controversial.

I think it's fair to say.

John, start us off.

What's what's happening here?

Well, I mean, the fact of the matte is that the city put the mayor in a hologram at the airport to welcome visitors.

And I guess folks returning hom to Jacksonville at the airport, it's not unusual for a mayor to be in that welcoming committee, if you will, if you've traveled anywhere, You know that that happens at a lot, if not almost every other airport around you maybe not in a hologram sense.

In fact, I will say this is the first hologram in an airport that I've seen in my limited travels.

But for years there'd be videos of the mayor of Atlanta welcoming you to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, for example.

So the idea of this is not new.

The hologram aspect of it i I think it was $20,000 for that.

And I don't know what it costs to make a video for this.

And, you know, I don't know any of the other things some people have taken issue with that.

And I'm not all that surprised that somebody is taking issue with it.

Yeah, I mean, the cost is is kind of a flexible thing that we're seeing here, Jim, because I think initially the city said it was about a $30,000 and then the council auditor, the city council auditor looked into it of all of the trappings that it took to produce this thing.

And it was more it was closer to like 75,000.

That's right.

It's 75,000.

It's an elaborate at least the pictures that I've seen of thing that's out there.

I wish I had gone to the airport this week to see it because it's amazing what they can do with this hologram and what the plans are for the future of this.

I remember when I was a retired, yet it's only been, you know, six months, four months, whatever, six months.

And this was being talked about.

It was in the planning stage that they were doing this.

I think it was like last January, a different things were going to happen with this hologram.

It's interact it can be interactive.

They hope to use this somehow with the planning department and with permitting to allow people to come in and ask questions like where can they get this permit?

And it would answer those questions.

So this was in like just a practice stage out at the airport.

They had this.

They say, Hey, we could use this.

The mayor's office, t welcome people to Jacksonville.

And the thing is, though, where the council was raising the objection, is the funding of this or where that money is coming from, and that's from permitting And with permitting, if you recall, has been the biggest one of the biggest issues facing the mayor's office, the city and the length of time it take to get a permit in Jacksonville and the mone that they had budgeted for this, the millions of dollars for permitting, is going to this hologram out at the airport.

And that's been the complaint.

And that' where Nick Howland, I think.

But Roy Diamond, Councilman Diamond is the one that that dubbed this the Donna.

Oh, yeah.

And he has been the most voca about this, talking about this.

But I'm sure a Randy two who would kno is a former city council member.

Your thoughts on this and the fact that the mone is coming from the from permit.

I like that.

Jim Pickett still feeling you.

Yeah.

I can't get tire or not necessarily and I'm glad.

Yeah.

As I was telling him earlier, Jim you'r the only one that made me cry.

And I hope there's a laugh today.

No, no.

Well, sure I you know, a couple of things.

One, I have seen it and it's really cool.

I think it's a great idea.

I mean, we are trying to create a a reputation, if you will, of the fintech city, a technology city.

So when you come into Jacksonville, you know, that would speak to that.

What and it's certainly better than the rocking chairs that are there.

So I think the the the bigger like the rocking I like the north so I agree you know it's a great way to the businesses when they're visiting they can see that we're we're cutting edge.

So I think it's a great idea.

I think if there was a mistake made, it was where did they pay for it?

And that is a very restricted fund.

And so I think if I were the administration, I would consider, you know, I would use a different fund, an economic development fund, some other fund for that instead of money that comes from in from permitting.

Right.

Because it's actually restricted.

I mean, it's legally restricted from the state.

Okay.

And so you can't use it for that.

It has to be literally very you know, related to permitting.

So I just if I were them, I understand that it was in relation their claim, it was in relation to the permitting because we're using it as a test case.

But that, you know, again, I think there's a real legitimate use for it.

So what's let's put it where it need to belong for the funding of it.

I got a call from Alan on the South side.

Good morning, Alan.

Go ahead.

I'd like to hear the panel comment on the heartburn with this versu the relative lack of heartburn back when Lenny Curry had his 15 foot high face on billboards going into and out of, say, L.A.X., thanks.

Hey, thanks, Alan.

That's a good memory there.

There was an effort to sort of gin up interest in the city of Jacksonville, John, with billboards around the country.

And I don't know where that money came from, but I think as we've already hit on, I think the real issue with this is, in fact, the source of the funding.

I don't think anybody says that the mayor shouldn't be welcoming people into our city or any of those kinds of things.

It's it' where did the money come from?

And and and that and again, I don't remember Jim may remember where the money for those billboards came, but maybe that might be the difference.

Well, that's where I would defe because of his around that time.

I do remember those billboards right in the heart of what is Cleveland stand out.

I feel like there was one in Cleveland to some reason.

Yeah, they were.

They were like that.

I was in Cleveland during that time.

No, they were around the country and there was a lot there were many jokes made about that, I remember.

Yeah.

But that those billboards weren't only in Jacksonville.

They were around promoting Jacksonville.

And I think some of that came from various departments or whatever I do that.

I don't remembe where the venue came from, but but it was not a sourc of controversy, but it was gone.

It's funny, and my point would be my point would be without us knowing the the details of that, that that' probably the difference, Right?

Yeah.

Well, and I think forgive me, but I thin also you have a Democratic mayor and you have a Republican council and they're going to thro stones at her any way they can.

And so you can't give them.

The bottom line is they can the administration really can't afford to give them anything to throw stones at.

Yeah, Jasmine, I was just I mean, the hologra itself was pretty neat looking, although it sort of looks lik to me one of those Barbie boxes.

Yeah I thought it was a bit odd, too.

But, you know, I mean, I'm a I'm going to say it all the time.

I'm always for technology.

I think it's going to help us.

I think even with chatbots, you think about all of the things that that we once laughed about before.

It's something that's instituted now.

It's mandatory in some companies.

If you're not ahead of it, you're behind.

And when you're behind, you really lose out on the opportunity to either get more people to come to the city to help build and fund and, you know, want to build here.

So I feel like Jacksonville, like I like I say, I compare it to Cleveland.

I think it's funny.

I compare it to Cleveland a lot because Cleveland had a the future of Sealy.

They had this whole big thing and it was the alley as in Cleveland.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

It really took off.

Yeah, you're right.

But if they neede more billboards in Jacksonville, they did a billboard i Jacksonville, talked of Airbnb.

But I just think it's technology is important.

So even when you see that when you first walk into Jacksonville, it is so inviting, you know, no matter what side of the aisle you're on, it's inviting.

Because I start to think about what happens in classrooms when your teacher has to call off and they can record something and they can send it in it.

It doesn't make it feel like you're sitting at home.

You feel like you're a part of something when you see something like that.

So I think it' the big deal is the price point.

If it's $75,000, I do believ that that is a lot to spend on, you know, a welcoming sign when, you know, you could have founded somewhere else.

Right.

I looked up the Lenny Curry billboard.

Okay.

And they see it as a mirror.

According to a spokesperson, the city spent 45,000 in taxpayer money on the billboards and that money came from the mayor's contingency fund.

He's got like $100,000 a year to do that.

So that came from the mayor's office budget to do that.

And this was from Australian News for Jax Back in July of 2021.

We got an email from Paul in Saint John's.

He's saying, Ron Salem, who's the Finance Committee chair, who was involved in this discussion.

Ron Salem isn't mad that it's a hologram.

He's mad that it's not of him.

Yeah, such a mayor wannabe.

We also have a call from J.D.

in Sea Island.

Good morning.

Go ahead.

Oh, good morning.

My comment is about my very favorite president of all the presidents, the one that did more for the average, hardworking person all over the world after he was president.

Then all of them during and after the rest of them men, Jimmy Carter.

Actually, I helped him build the first have a Jackson Habitat for Humanity I believe was the eighties 1980s over there off of 45th Street.

Those were the very first ones here in Jacksonville and I helped was one of the volunteers.

And that's how I actually met Jimmy Carter.

Like I said, God rest in peace.

He was truly a dignified gentleman that we had as a president of the United States, and I wish him nothing but the very best.

Well, thanks, J.D., Nice comment.

Appreciate your work.

Helping to build homes, too, for people we've got to call from Gary, Don from North Jacksonville.

Go ahead, Don.

Good morning, everyone.

My my comment this mornin is this issue, this controversy with the hologram at the airport with the mayor, Donna Deegan, feels like it's more of a of a pop politics than a partizan reason to start arguments.

When you loo at the use of funds and budgets.

The past years in Jacksonville and not just in Jacksonville, I would say cities around the country, they're misused and nobody really makes a really big deal about it.

And they're making a big deal out of this when funds are being used in a very wrong wa and other instances in the past.

And I want to get your reaction on that.

Yeah.

I mean, Jim Piggott, it's not a ton of money, but, you know, you know, from reporting on these kinds of things ove the years, they can get sticky.

I mean, you know, sometimes issues, even if they're not a giant amount of money.

I think we all remember the Pat had Felder statue to herself.

You know, sometimes that can just end up being more trouble than it's worth or more problemati than people might anticipate it.

It's just an issue like when you see something that's out of the ordinary and they're going to go what and how we're spending money on that.

I think as we at all mentioned, that hologram, it stands out and it's like and I've been reading like, you know, they're making it a a political issue.

It highlights the Madonna Deegan and it's a way that she's goin to use it as a campaign thing.

I think that's what many people have been saying.

That's not true.

That's not what's happening up there.

It's welcoming peopl to Jacksonville, but they see it as as a way that the mayor is promoting herself.

And that's where I think you know, the controversy is coming in from that.

And we've seen that in many things like throughout histor of Jacksonville, where statues like you mentioned have gone up or or billboards.

We're talking about Lenny Curry.

It's a way that politicians do something on that and it's going to be an issue.

I mean, I, I see where the concern is with this, with the money, but it's also something, you know, if it's going to be there for six months, that's what the contract is for.

Then it moves on and we'll see what happens.

Randi, How much of this is just pure politics and how much of it is 100%?

It is.

I mean, because she's he the hologram is her, you know, representing Jacksonville, not Donna representing Donna.

So this is 100% political, no doubt about it.

And you don't.

Well, other than the funding, I think there's a legitimate that's why I'm saying I mean, the administration needs to be very careful because they don't give the council any any, you know, anything to throw stones at.

So I think I think they just need to fin a different funding source and it's all good.

All right.

We've got a call from Regina in Mandarin.

Good morning, Regina.

Go ahead.

Good morning.

Thanks for taking my call.

We always enjoy the Friday morning show.

I would like to continu with this political 100% agree it's political.

The state went overwhelmingly for the Republican president and other elected officials.

What you know, we've already seen that with taking the Confederate statues down.

Where are the things ar this are people like politically pointing the finger at our mayor who I think is doing an excellent job.

And I think it's because she's a woman also and I'll take your all your comments off the air.

Thanks a lot, Regina.

Your thoughts, Jim?

It definitely I mean, as Randi just said, I mean, the political aspect of this and that's what we're having we see that with, you know, Ron Salem going after the mayor, Ro Dimond, going after the mayor, Nick Howland, making these comments.

It's all this back and forth thing I think we were discussing this before the show.

Of of what's happening.

You know, we're seeing all the politics play out that Mayor Deegan is having.

She's having a very hard time with this council.

But we knew it was going to be this way.

We knew that as a Republican versus a Democrat.

And that's that's what's happening.

That's that's it's all political.

Yeah, I'd love to share a quic Jimmy Carter story, if I could get back to that.

This is a to emphasize the president's longevity, if you will.

Just think about this for a minute.

I have been in Jacksonville for ten years.

I was in Atlanta for seven years before that.

Couple three years probably been about it's probably been about 15 years now.

Somebody can check the facts on when the president was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Right.

Brain cancer at the age of what would that have been, 85 at that point?

WSB, where I worked, said, John, if in fact, the president were to pass, here is a drive full of file video, carry this with you at all times.

And when we get word, you're going to go to the Carter Center and you're going to that's where you're going to be for the until we're done with the coverage.

I said, okay, that was 15 years ago.

I have been gone from WSB for 15 years.

And I mean, it's just remarkable that because you were almost on.

We were we were on watch.

We were on watch 15 years ago.

And, you know there were just cases of.

Right.

He was in hospice for, what, two years almost.

I just it's remarkable all the things the caller said were 100% true.

But just a nod to the Carter family.

Got to know his grandson when I was up there.

Jason, you know just a spectacular human beings.

I mean, you know, to your point, they were reporting yesterday on NPR that two of the people that eulogized the former president, Walter Mondale and or and Gerald Ford, that they both passed and their sons had to deliver the eulogies because they you know, he outlived that.

Everyone so outlived their true public servant.

I would like to say just being at his funeral, seeing all of our forme and current presidents together, it's been so hard in journalism life, period, to seeing back and forth versus the aisles, but being able to see everyone together.

And he brought he still finished.

Like that was like his one last thing that he did before he left this planet and is just so commendable.

And you talk about like coverage that you did.

I used to work in Tallahassee.

I mean, we had, you know stories, news stories, packages already written, ready to g and ready to air just in case.

And, you know, he he's an incredible man listening to the stories.

Every story is completely different.

No matter who you are, what color skin you are, your age.

He had a story for everyone in teaching Sunday School, you know, how did you have time to do all of it?

And in the fact that his role here in Jacksonville, as the caller had mentioned with have a job and building those homes, I remember him being here.

He had a big impact in this city, a very Republican city at the time.

But and then you you heard many of the people that that worked with him, worked in his administration.

It's like Mike Hightower.

He he he's been talking about that, who was a Democra at the time, now a Republican.

And it was just so interesting.

And that and watching the funeral and every all the former presidents at a live were being there.

That's how things used to be.

People would get along in politics.

They'd work across the aisle.

And that's kind of what wha I do miss is that that party ism right now is like, Oh, I'm not going to do anything.

What the what the Democrats I could d anything with the Republicans, but we saw that they worked together.

And I think that brought back a lot of hope for people to see that happen.

I totally agree, because when you you saw like Obama talking to Trump.

Yes.

You know, you saw them all in, you know, acting with each other.

It's a reminder that the president of the United States is our president no matter what party they belong to.

Yeah, Yeah.

Very good point.

Very good.

If you're just joining us we are talking to John Bachman, Jasmine Monroe, Jim Piggott and Randy, too, for about the week's headlines.

You can join our conversation.

Give us a call at 9045492937.

You can also email first Coast Connect at WJC.

Dawg, I do want to shift a little bit to a topic that has been also in the headlines about the homeless community in Jacksonville.

Some of the efforts to comply with state law and reducing that population, providing shelter for that population.

Part of that is sending people away through this program called Homeward Bound and now some people are saying tha because the beaches communities aren't eligible for that funding, that now is becoming a refuge or a have for additional homeless people.

So that is a topic that's been in the news.

Rory Diamon also kind of making that point.

He represents the beaches saying this is unfair to my constituents because they're now kind of getting the brunt of a problem that the city is is shifting.

And it's interesting to watch how this is playing out.

I think of all of these program that are supposed to be in place that are not.

I thought it was also interesting.

I was watching the Russian I don't have the numbers in front of me of the number of people that have violated the new homeless statutes in here, the number of people that have been arrested because of that camping out on the street.

And I was like, I was kind of taken aback by that.

I'm glad really.

They're arresting peopl now for sleeping on the street.

But those numbers actually are.

So this is JFR D. The fire department is going out as part of their program and interacting with people, urging them to go into shelters or or in some cases leave.

But they've issued 589 warnings.

They've arrested 86 people as of the most recent numbers and bust out 93.

So, yeah, there have been arrests.

Those people, I guess, are either in jail briefly or in jail currently.

Well I just think that's surprising.

Yeah.

The busing out is is it's crazy.

I know that I had family in town for Christmas and my stepdad who originally is from Orlando, came up and said, you know, oh, there's there's couches right outside of the stadium and things like that.

And I said, that's all gone.

You know, like they have they're cleaning up the homeless.

And I don't want to say cleaning up because that's not a good way to say it, but that's honestly what they're doing.

That's the move that they're going.

And when I heard bussing out people, giving them a one way ticket to go somewhere so they can sleep somewhere else.

Yeah And it's not entirely new, John.

I mean, this is not a progra that Jacksonville has invented.

Cities all over the country are using similar programs to, you know, diminish their unhoused population.

Some of those peopl are being bussed to Jacksonville because this is where they're from.

Yeah.

And I would say tha the city has developed was a ten or 12 step plan to address this issue.

And not only that, it's really to address the law that was enacted to force the city and other cities to to deal with this issue.

And so, you know, if you look at that plan, it's it's extensive.

It's not just we're going to bus them out of here.

Right?

We're going to we're going to enhance the beds that are available.

We're going to add beds.

We're going to you know, there's a number of different things.

They're going to create a database so that somebody can ver see if there's not space here.

We can take them here and try to coordinate the effort a little bit better, provide services and provide those.

Right.

Of Jaafari is to tell people wher they can get help or assistance.

And not only that, but if there's some mental health issues there, there's, you know, which often is the case where they can go to get tha enhanced that program as well.

You know, I think the administration asked for $10 million.

The city approved $1,000,000.

So this is a work in progress.

And, you know, you just this is a big issue.

And it's not just the Jacksonville issue, especially with the housing prices and the lack of affordable I mean, there's just so many elements to this problem that it'd be nice to say we'd have this $1 million solution and let's move on.

It's just not that simple.

And that's how I look at it.

You know, really, the mayor on this program last month, I asked her about this Homeward Bound program and she said, basically, there's a lot of things that I don't really love about this new approach, but the state law is tying our hands in a lot of ways.

It is forcing us to enforce this no public sleeping ban.

I'm going to tell you a positive story.

I had a homeless person in my district and he kept coming bac and coming back and coming back and, you know, GSA would pick him up, take him to the jail because he had mental health issues.

And as you know, the jail is the largest provider of mental health services.

And we brought in souls, Parker and souls.

Parker would come in and tr to help him get him on his meds.

Just it was at least six months to a year issue.

We tried to get him back to his family.

It was in Texas.

He didn't want to go.

And finally he got healthy enough where he went home.

And it was a very positive ending to that story.

Hmm.

So this doesn't necessarily have to be all bad.

You know, there's some positive here.

You know, people are probably getting services that they weren't receiving before.

So, you know, where we don't want them is on the street.

That's not good for them and that's not good for us as a community.

So it's just, you know, it's not perfect.

But I, I did hav a positive result from one of, you know, in my district.

And I'm hopeful that there are more of those.

You.

Yeah.

Jasmine, to Randy's point, I mean, they're not just busing people anywhere.

They are trying to fin where they have roots or family ties and reconnect them with people who could be a support network for them.

So they're not just sort of sending them anywhere with a one way ticket.

This is designed to get the connected with a support system.

Okay.

I didn't I didn't know that.

But just even hearin your story, I mean, I think that I think if you hear more stories like that, people start to believe in this project and, you know, invest and help.

There are other programs, too, that are not a part of this that can, you know, volunteer or donate that help to help helping homelessness.

You know, when you come outside, you know, people leave outside for work early, late for some reasons.

Some people I had a story of a homeless person breaking into an apartmen complex over in the riverside.

So, you know, those people you do want off the street.

And oftentimes it's the mental health issues that they do have and they don't have the help that they need.

So that's an amazing story.

Yeah.

If I may get a shameless plu in, one of my folks I work with is Patriot Services Group, a nonprofit.

They work especially with veterans, but this is the kind of thing that they do.

They take folks who are at risk.

One of the one of the great success storie also through Sol's backer was, you know, somebody who couldn't get all of his veteran benefits lined up properly for a variety of reasons.

They they offered hi an apartment complex, apartment at a complex that he would neve have been able to qualify for.

And they took they he's now off the street.

Sure.

You know, veterans is definitely one of the populations that is impacted by this problem.

Jim, I just want to touch o a couple of additional topics.

One is this idea of a Governor Gates with Matt.

Gates obviously was a former congressman.

Then he was floated for attorney general, stepped down because of this sex scandal that found that he had regularl been paying for sex and drugs.

But now he's saying he might consider, you know, running in 2026.

I think a lot of people, from what I'm reading, are taken aback by that and wha that could do to the campaign.

Apparently, Gates has also been talking to Donald Trump about the possibility of that.

And at least according to a report I think it was in the Tampa Tribune, that he that Trump told him, well, there's some other candidates that might be that I support as well that are in the state consider running.

But my what I wonder what's going to happen with Matt Gaetz and if he does decide to do that.

And he said this week he's thinking about it to run for governor, he said he needs to talk to his wife and pray on it.

Yeah, but think about wha that will do with the campaign that will be coming up.

It will be so centered on why should you be running because of all of this that we're not going to be getting into the issues, we're not going to be gettin into the important things of it is going to b why Matt Gage should be governor or why he shouldn't.

And I think that's going to be interesting on that.

He says as a guy, if he does run, he would really look at the insurance industry and what's happening here in Florida.

But you got to you got t wonder, I can say this nonsense.

I'm not reporting and you got to wonder what that's going to do to the campaign.

Is that really fair?

It's all going to be about him and not about Florida and about the issues.

It does seem like it would be a distraction.

I mean, if nothing else, Randi, for obviously, there's a lot of room for improvement in the insurance world.

And anybody that's promising to tackle that would get some traction.

But his bio is is difficult.

And well, this is not a surprise to me.

I've we've known that Matt was looking at this run for a while now.

His father was previously on the Florida Senate, president of the Senate.

He ran again for the Senate one.

So he's on in the Florida Senate.

This has been teed up for a while.

The problem, if you call it a problem, is that we no longer have two primaries.

So what happens with that is that people that have the, you know, majority vote, which is not much, doesn't require much like 20% actuall will be the winner of the party.

And you see it on both sides.

So this gives Matt Gaetz a huge advantage and he knows it.

So, I mean, it is I would not be shocked if Matt Gaetz is the Republican candidate for governor.

I want to take a quick call here from Kathleen.

Good morning, Kathleen.

Go ahead.

Good morning.

I'm back on the homeless issue.

The I'm not homeless, but I talk to people that I see in my neighborhood and they are scared to go to shelters because they're telling me there's no private space.

They're scared of getting robbed.

They're scared of being assaulted, especially if they're women.

So what are we doing about that, please?

Thank you.

Thanks, Kathleen.

I mean, certainly living in a shelter is nobody's ideal of a perfect home.

No.

You know and then this sleepwalker center City rescue do their best, I know, to keep those places safe and make sure people don't have weapons and drugs and stuff when they're in.

But it is you know, it's a it can be a challenging population to work with.

I've heard that from many people.

When I talk to people on the street, if you remember that huge homeless camp that used to be in downtown Jacksonville to people, and I said, well, why not go do it?

And they would say, No, I do not want to do that because it takes away a lot of my rights.

A lot of people say, well, they'll just talk religion to me.

They'll just talk and they go, I want to be on my own.

I'm sorry.

I'm out here, but I'm doing better here than I would do in a shelter.

And I think that's the hard thing that the government has to deal with, is that's the choice that people are making.

I mean, in shelters are not a 24 hour facility.

I mean, people when even when they're staying in a shelter, typically have to get up and leave during the daytime and and, you know, b about their business elsewhere.

To respond to the caller and I don't know the stats an maybe somebody can can find them in the short order but I would argue that.

Are you any safer out on the street?

Are you any safe in an encampment where there's no security, There's no maybe a camera?

I mean, Yes.

You know, being in a shelter ideal.

And, you know, the taking away of rights and not being able to call your own shots, all those things very much could be a reason not to go there.

But I think safety I would I would be more hesitant to depend on the stats for that argument.

The stories that I've covered that they say that they are safer when they go on the street.

They they do feel like they are.

Yeah.

Well, we're goin have to leave it there, folks.

We've been talking to Randy, too, for John Bachman, Jim Piggott, Jasmine Monroe.

Thank you all for being here.

And just a quick note, obviously, we're monitoring those fires out in California.

If you do want to donate to help people living there, you can reach out to the Red Cross, the Salvation Arm and the World Central Kitchen.

Up next, a classical pianis with a very contemporary vibe.

We talked to virtuoso Clayton Stevenson ahead of his concert tonight in Jacksonville, Terrell Hogan Law and Wayne Hogan.

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On one day today, starting at ten on WJCT News, 89 nine.

Welcome back.

He's a Juilliard trained pianist, but you're more likely to hear his music described with words like joy and charisma.

Clayton Stevenson performs tonight in Jacksonville Beach as part of the Beaches Fine Arts Series, and he joins us now.

Thanks for being here.

It's a pleasure to be here.

Thank you for having me.

It's very nice to meet you.

So you have a great origin story.

Your mom enrolled you in piano lessons at age seven.

Tell us a little bi about why she chose to do that.

So she was a single mom and, you know, as a single mom, she wanted some time, you know, resting away from me.

And so she was looking up, you know, babysitter prices.

And then she quickly discovered that to get a piano teacher, it was about $5 more an hour.

And so for this extra $5, you know, I was learning a craft, but then I would also be practicing, you know, by myself for hours.

And so thought this was a brilliant idea.

And so she enrolled me in this Chinatown basement school.

It's genius.

I guess so.

I mean, parenting one on one.

And I think I was very lucky in the fact that my teacher there, I think, was the perfect introduction to music for me.

She allowed me to play things that I loved.

And so I quickly just fell in love with the music.

You know, I love to play.

And so I wasn't worried about, you know, the technique or the excuse or the skills, but really just, you know, playing Mary had a little lamb and, you know, merrily we roll along and being happy with myself.

And yet you did the go to a Juilliard outreach music program at age eight.

So you were learning, you know, fine technique and kind of all of the formalities of classical piano being a classical pianist.

But you didn't ow a piano for a number of years.

I mean, this really was you were growing up in some, you know, difficult circumstances and were just, I guess, learning how to synthesize.

Yes.

And I think it's it's quite interesting that people kind of think that you need, you know, the best of the best instruments when you get started.

And that was not true for me at all.

You know, I still remember playing, you know, the Titanic theme song on the synthesizer.

And the kids would light u and I would play along with it.

And that's kind of how I got started with learning and training my ear.

And it was not only until I was in middle school and I was at the summer camp and they were renovating the whole middle school, and so they threw away these two upright pianos.

And so I discovered it with my mom and we, you know, tried both.

And I took the better one home and that became my practice piano for the next eight years.

And so, you know, it was it was not really about the quality but just having the instrument, being able to to practice all the time and having inspirations from from teachers and all the different communities and programs that helped me.

And your passion shows in your music, as we sort of alluded to, people commen all the time about sort of this charismatic performance that you give.

What are you feeling when you're playing the music and kind of showing thi this emotion and this sensation?

I'm sort of like an auditory actor in a sense.

I I'm trying to get into the character of what was the composer's thinking about what was so moving that the composer had to put, you know, his thoughts, his emotions down onto the paper in the form of these notes.

And so it's really about getting into the character.

For me it's about researching a lot of, you know, what what went on in their lives.

You know, if, you know, one of their close friends, you know, suddenly passed away, then, you know what types of feelings does that kind of impac in this person and how does that kind of flow through the music?

You can see that a lot of, you know, musicians and artists in general have had very tragic lives.

And, you know, this kind o motivates them to create art, to to say something about the experiences that they've had.

And for me, it's about sharing that with the audience.

And, you know, we've all had tragedies in our lives, We've all had hardships.

We've all had loss, We've all had, yo know, moments of ecstatic joy.

And so it's about showcasing just the breadth of the human experience and showing that we're really the because everybody kind of lives through life with these emotions.

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?

I mean, you play a lot of classical music, but what's on your playlist?

Sort of everything from you know, Kendrick Lamar to Nina Simone to some a Coldplay.

You know, I really try to listen to everything that I can because I think it's all connected.

When I was a kid, I was kind of concerned, Oh, is this me listening to rock and roll?

And in fact, you know, me playing classical piano and to me, it's not because you kind of see that there are some similar patterns.

You know, you have some some baselines that kind of like in themselves to the classical music.

And you see that, you know, a lot of genres kind of borrow as well.

You have Metallica who borrows from Holst's The Planets, which is one of these classical suites about the stars.

And you see that you, you know, people kind of take things and then make them new.

And that's in every genre, you know, they're sampling and hip hop music.

There's things called piano transcriptions where, you know, pianistic, you know, beloved themes from the 1700s, 1800s.

And then they take their own spin on it and, you know, try to jazz it up or, you know, you see Turkish March and all the all of these different variations.

And so it's very interesting to see the growth of music.

What can people expect if they come see you tonight at your performance at St Paul's?

I think you'll get a bit of everything.

I try to kind of showcase music from the 1600s all the way up to the modern day, so you'll get some classical, you'll get some a little bit of jazzy elements and you'll get some fantastical piano transcriptions from the Russian era.

So, well, Clayton Stephenson, he performs tonight at St Paul's by the Sea Episcopal Church.

You can get more information at the beaches.

Fine Arts, dawg.

Clayton, thank you so much for being here as well.

Nice to meet you Thank you.

Likewise.

All right.

And that's our program.

Thank you for listening.

Join us Monday.

When we asked Jacksonville City Council member Matt Carlucci why he believes an increase i the garbage fee is long overdue.

I'm in Schundler.

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