Dan Scanlan Reporter email
Dan Scanlan is a veteran journalist with 40 years as a radio, television and print reporter in the Jacksonville area, as well as years of broadcast work in the Northeast. After a stint managing a hotel comedy club, Dan began a 34-year career as police and current events reporter at The Florida Times-Union before joining the staff of WJCT News 89.9.
Featured image for “Jacksonville makes City Council legislation more accessible to the disabled”
A meeting of the Jacksonville City Council. | City of Jacksonville
23 hours ago

Jacksonville makes City Council legislation more accessible to the disabled

The city restored online access to City Council bills after complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act.…

Featured image for “Hundreds expected to pack Bayard Point for Boater Skip Day in Clay County”
Hundreds of boaters cluster around a floating DJ booth off Bayard Point for the 2025 Boater Skip Day in Clay County. | Chris Anthony, Boater Skip Day
2 days ago

Hundreds expected to pack Bayard Point for Boater Skip Day in Clay County

Police from several agencies will be present Friday to make sure boaters are following safety laws.…

Featured image for “Orange Park substitute teacher accused of possessing child sexual abuse material”
A judge with a gavel. | Adobe stock/Lightfield studios
2 days ago

Orange Park substitute teacher accused of possessing child sexual abuse material

Tyrone Julius Ferguson taught at elementary and middle schools and also was a youth basketball coach.…

Featured image for “Artists sought for sculptures at new Fishweir Crossing roundabouts”
Riverside Avondale Preservation is seeking artists  for a public sculpture project at the Fishweir Crossing Roundabouts at Herschel Street and St. Johns Avenue. | Google Maps
June 2, 2026

Artists sought for sculptures at new Fishweir Crossing roundabouts

Riverside Avondale Preservation says the art will become a landmark for an important neighborhood gateway.…

Featured image for “Concerns grow over proposed AI data center in Nassau County”
Fans that are part of a cooling system are seen on the roof of a data center April 27, 2026, in Hillsboro, Oregon. | Jenny Kane, AP
June 1, 2026

Concerns grow over proposed AI data center in Nassau County

County officials have scheduled a series of workshops to investigate the ramifications of data centers.…

Featured image for “Burn ban ends in Clay County, but water restrictions continue across area”
Two fires burning near the Clay–Putnam County line merged into the massive Railroad Fire. | Jesse Hanson, News4Jax
June 1, 2026

Burn ban ends in Clay County, but water restrictions continue across area

Clay County imposed a burn ban in April because the drought had heightened the risk of forest and brush fires.…

Featured image for “Family pleads for water safety after 2-year-old’s drowning in 2024”
Amaya White talks about the death of her 2-year-old daughter Melani Ava Mixson, in 2024. She appeared with her attorney, Adam Finkel, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today,
May 26, 2026

Family pleads for water safety after 2-year-old’s drowning in 2024

Melani Ava Mixson drowned after sliding down the embankment of a retention pond at her apartment complex.…

Featured image for “National Eucharistic Pilgrimage launches Sunday in St. Augustine”
The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in St. Augustine. The 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage will start there Sunday. | Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine.
May 21, 2026

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage launches Sunday in St. Augustine

The pilgrimage will start at the site of the first Catholic Mass in 1565 at the founding of St. Augustine.…

Featured image for “New Nassau County patrol boats help rescue 2 from sinking ship”
One of Nassau County's new marine patrol boats skims through the water. | Nassau County Sheriff's Office
May 21, 2026

New Nassau County patrol boats help rescue 2 from sinking ship

The patrol boats were put into service in time for Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the boating season.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville Jazz Festival will ring from Downtown stages this weekend”
An act on stage at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival in 2017. | Jacksonville Jazz Festival
May 21, 2026

Jacksonville Jazz Festival will ring from Downtown stages this weekend

The Jazz Festival, founded in 1979, remains free of charge from Thursday through Sunday.…

Featured image for “New sites added to Duval’s list of endangered historic structures”
The Laura Street Trio of historic buildings at Forsyth and Laura streets in Downtown Jacksonville are shown Nov. 11, 2024. | Monty Zickuhr, Jacksonville Daily Record
May 20, 2026

New sites added to Duval’s list of endangered historic structures

Besides endangered properties, the History Center listed some that have become success stories through preservation.…

Featured image for “Southbank Residences begins construction after years of delays”
An artist's depiction shows the Southbank Residences next to Friendship Fountain in Downtown Jacksonville. | Related Group
May 20, 2026

Southbank Residences begins construction after years of delays

Southbank Residences represents the first new luxury high-rise on Jacksonville’s riverfront in over a decade.…

Featured image for “Memorial Day events fill the weekend from Jacksonville to Palatka”
A member of the Navy Band Southeast plays taps during a Memorial Day observance at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Wall. | U.S. Navy Photo by Nick Davis
May 20, 2026

Memorial Day events fill the weekend from Jacksonville to Palatka

Memorial Day weekend will include fireworks, music and remembrances of military members lost in war.…

Featured image for “UNF lab will test the effects of extreme heat on athletes, military and workers”
Treadmills in the new Perry Weather Heat Lab, part of the Korey Stringer Institute. | University of North FloridaInstitute’s new UNF satellite location include these treadmills. | UNF
May 18, 2026

UNF lab will test the effects of extreme heat on athletes, military and workers

The new Perry Weather Heat Lab at UNF will test extreme weather health effects on people.…

Featured image for “Second phase of Riverfront Plaza could be completed next year”
An illustration shows the proposed beer garden and restaurant in Riverfront Plaza's second phase. Another restaurant is planned on the western end of Riverfront Plaza. | City of Jacksonville/Perkins & Will
May 14, 2026

Second phase of Riverfront Plaza could be completed next year

The next phase of Riverfront Plaza will include a beer garden, restaurant, landscaped pathways, a water feature and more.…

Featured image for “Inaugural Ironman competition will hit Jacksonville’s streets on Saturday”
Runners cross the finish line at a recent Ironman competition. | Ironman
May 14, 2026

Inaugural Ironman competition will hit Jacksonville’s streets on Saturday

More than 1,900 athletes will swim, bike and run all day Saturday across Jacksonville and St. Johns County.…

Featured image for “Shands Bridge will close this weekend, but Buckman will remain open”
The Shands Bridge, which will be closed from Friday to Sunday for maintenance. | Florida Department of Transportation
May 14, 2026

Shands Bridge will close this weekend, but Buckman will remain open

The Shands Bridge between Clay and St. Johns counties will close from Friday evening to Sunday morning.…

Featured image for “Riverfront Music Garden debuts along reimagined Northbank Riverwalk”
The new Riverfront Music Garden features walkways shaped like musical notes, plus a large clef-shaped central Riverwalk section. | City of Jacksonville
May 13, 2026

Riverfront Music Garden debuts along reimagined Northbank Riverwalk

The interactive music garden pays tribute to the many famous musicians who hail from Jacksonville.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville seeks feedback on creating business district along 103rd Street”
This view of 103rd Street shows heavy traffic at a stop light at Firestone Road. | Google Maps
May 12, 2026

Jacksonville seeks feedback on creating business district along 103rd Street

The business district could make small assessments for improving “the Wonderland Corridor.”…

Featured image for “Burn bans continue in Northeast Florida despite this week’s rain”
A Clay County Fire Rescue unit battles the Railroad Fire at the Clay/Putnam County line on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. | Clay County
May 12, 2026

Burn bans continue in Northeast Florida despite this week’s rain

St. Johns County has extended its burn ban for another week as wildfires remain a risk during the drought.…

Featured image for “Mayport-based USS Mason repels another Iranian attack in Strait of Hormuz”
The USS Mason, based at Naval Station Mayport, is patrolling the Strait of Hormuz with other U.S. Navy ships in Operation Freedom. | U.S. Central Command
May 8, 2026

Mayport-based USS Mason repels another Iranian attack in Strait of Hormuz

The USS Mason faced its second attack in a week but was not hit, U.S. Central Command says.…

Featured image for “Florida launches maternal health initiative From the Start in Jax”
The From the Start program aims to standardize care like early pregnancy detection to improve outcomes for low-income patients. | Jessica Palombo, Jacksonville Today
May 7, 2026

Florida launches maternal health initiative From the Start in Jax

From the Start is aimed at improving outcomes for low-income moms-to-be and new moms.…

Featured image for “Got a new driver’s license? It could affect how you get a mail-in ballot.”
A mock-up of Florida driver's license shows the changes front and rear. | Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
May 7, 2026

Got a new driver’s license? It could affect how you get a mail-in ballot.

If you recently got a new driver’s license, let the elections office know — or you may not get a…

Featured image for “Corrections officer rebuilds memorial to victims of Dollar General murders”
Jacksonville corrections officer Mary Malcolm tends to the memorial she and her family rebuilt that commemorates the three people gunned down in a racially motivated shooting at the Dollar General store on Kings Road. The first memorial was destroyed in late April of 2026. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
May 6, 2026

Corrections officer rebuilds memorial to victims of Dollar General murders

Mary Malcolm was moved to take action after someone destroyed the original memorial to victims of the racial killings.…