Dan Scanlan Reporter email
Dan Scanlan is a veteran journalist with almost 40 years as a radio, television and print reporter in the Jacksonville area, as well as years of broadcast work in the Northeast. An avid automobile enthusiast who has written about classic cars and events for national magazines, Dan began his broadcast career at radio stations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He moved to Jacksonville in the early 1980s to be news director at a local station, then shifted to WJXT-TV as overnight and morning news anchor and reporter. That led to three years at the NBC station in Jacksonville as police reporter and morning news anchor, followed by time as a public relations and advertising director involved in a number of political campaigns. 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.
Featured image for “Inmate dies of severe injuries suffered in Duval jail”
Charles Faggart of Chop it Charlie's food truck. | gofundme
1 day ago

Inmate dies of severe injuries suffered in Duval jail

Nine jail officers were suspended in an incident involving inmate Charles Faggart. The Sheriff’s Office has not explained what happened.…

Featured image for “Fernandina church secretary accused of embezzling $500K”
Amelia Baptist Church in Fernandina Beach. | Google
1 day ago

Fernandina church secretary accused of embezzling $500K

Police say Melissa Ganey English took money from Amelia Baptist Church for concerts, cruises, hotels and more.…

Featured image for “Developer closes on purchase of Regency Square Mall”
Regency
1 day ago

Developer closes on purchase of Regency Square Mall

Blackwater Development plans a mixed-use development on the site of the mostly vacant mall.…

Featured image for “Duval inmate severely injured; 9 officers suspended”
Charles Faggart of Chop it Charlie's. | gofundme
2 days ago

Duval inmate severely injured; 9 officers suspended

The Sheriff’s Office released no information about how the inmate was hurt. He remains hospitalized.…

Featured image for “Mayor pledges to work with ICARE on affordable housing”
More than 500 people from the community attended the ICARE Nehemiah Assembly on Monday, April 7, 2025. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
April 8, 2025

Mayor pledges to work with ICARE on affordable housing

Mayor Donna Deegan agreed to meet with ICARE to explore the possibility of an affordable housing trust fund.…

Featured image for “Cummer Museum’s CEO will retire May 1”
Andrea Barnwell Brownlee is CEO of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. | Cummer Museum
April 8, 2025

Cummer Museum’s CEO will retire May 1

Andrea Barnwell Brownlee will retire from the Cummer Museum of Arts & Gardens after almost five years at the helm.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville’s first Mormon temple planned in Mandarin”
A Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple is planned on Loretto Road in Mandarin. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
April 8, 2025

Jacksonville’s first Mormon temple planned in Mandarin

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple will be built on a wooded site on Loretto Road.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | When will I-10 widening finally be done?”
FDOT's traffic camera at I-10 and U.S. 17 shows some of the widening underway.
April 7, 2025

#AskJAXTDY | When will I-10 widening finally be done?

FDOT has been working on the I-10 widening for almost five years. Why is it taking so long?…

Featured image for “Jacksonville Arboretum unveils next phase of development”
An illustration shows the children's garden planned at the Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. | Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
April 7, 2025

Jacksonville Arboretum unveils next phase of development

A children’s garden will be the first part of a new master plan to give the Jacksonville Arboretum a botanical…

Featured image for “Student-built electric race cars will square off at FSCJ”
Student drivers from Florida high schools and colleges compete in last year's Electrathon race at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s Downtown campus. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
April 4, 2025

Student-built electric race cars will square off at FSCJ

Drivers in 160-pound race cars will compete in the Electrathon racing series on Saturday at FSCJ Downtown.…

Featured image for “Wheel-to-wheel go-kart action aids spina bifida charity”
Go-kart racers tackle the winding 103rd Street Sports Complex in 2024. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
April 3, 2025

Wheel-to-wheel go-kart action aids spina bifida charity

For more than two decades, a go-kart race at the city’s only track has raised money for Spina Bifida of…

Featured image for “Duval DOGE launches web page to track committee’s work”
Jacksonville City Hall
April 3, 2025

Duval DOGE launches web page to track committee’s work

The DOGE committee plans to deliver a report by June 23 about the city’s services, finances and government.…

Featured image for “Deegan lets immigration bill take effect without her signature”
Mayor Donna Deegan announces Wednesday, April 2, 2025, that she is allowing a controversial immigration bill to take effect without her signature. | News4Jax
April 2, 2025

Deegan lets immigration bill take effect without her signature

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan praised the city’s immigrants and said she would not sign a bill she found objectionable.…

Featured image for “Sexual assaults reach ‘alarming’ levels on First Coast”
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan speaks during an observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at Jacksonville City Hall. | City of Jacksonville
April 1, 2025

Sexual assaults reach ‘alarming’ levels on First Coast

The number of sexual assaults in Clay County has risen, but it could be partly a result of more awareness.…

Featured image for “The Clay County Fair is back … and so is the traffic”
Crowds line the Clay County Fair's midway during a recent event. | Clay County Fair
March 31, 2025

The Clay County Fair is back … and so is the traffic

The Clay County Fair’s 11-day run brings big concerts, pig racing, new rides and irritating traffic jams.…

Featured image for “Man dies after police shoot him at Toledo Road apartments”
Chief Alan Parker, left, speaks about a shooting Sunday night. March 30, 2025, at an apartment complex on Toledo Road. Joining him is Undersheriff Shawn Coursey. | Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
March 31, 2025

Man dies after police shoot him at Toledo Road apartments

Jacksonville police said Alquan V. Suydam, 28, pointed a gun at them after they were called to a domestic disturbance.…

Featured image for “Alleged gunmen arrested in slaying of 7-year-old boy”
Breon Allen, 7, was shot to death in a drive-by shooting lon Jan. 24, 2025. | MAD DADS
March 28, 2025

Alleged gunmen arrested in slaying of 7-year-old boy

The two 17-year-olds are the last of six people arrested in the slaying of Breon Allen Jr. in January.…

Featured image for “Lone Star Road extension links Arlington neighborhoods”
This few hundred feet of sand will be paved over in the Lone Star Road extension. The new road will follow the tracks of off-roaders who have used the route to cut through to Tredinick Parkway, shown at the top. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
March 27, 2025

Lone Star Road extension links Arlington neighborhoods

The Lone Star Road project will connect neighborhoods with businesses and highways in the Regency Square area.…

Featured image for “Vietnam War memorials set for First Coast”
Veterans took part in Clay County's 2024 observance of the end of the Vietnam War at the TAPS monument in Green Cove Springs. | Jessica Barreto, Clay County Board of Commissioners
March 25, 2025

Vietnam War memorials set for First Coast

Observances are planned this week in Jacksonville and Green Cove Springs to observe National Vietnam War Veterans Day.…

Featured image for “Mayor seeks to improve oversight of nonprofit funding”
Mayor Donna Deegan discusses nonprofit funding on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. | News4Jax
March 25, 2025

Mayor seeks to improve oversight of nonprofit funding

Mayor Donna Deegan has filed a bill to City Council that she says would increase transparency in nonprofit funding.…

Featured image for “Historic Mandarin farmhouse may have reached the end”
The 145-year-old Henry Arpen farmhouse as it stands now on a lot on Linjohn Road. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
March 24, 2025

Historic Mandarin farmhouse may have reached the end

A vote by City Council on Tuesday would provide only $65,000 to save the farmhouse and 90 days to move…

Featured image for “Jacksonville-based Dun & Bradstreet sold for $7.7B”
The Dun & Bradstreet headquarters on Gate Parkway. | Google
March 24, 2025

Jacksonville-based Dun & Bradstreet sold for $7.7B

Dun & Bradstreet did not say whether its Gate Parkway headquarters would be moved after the sale to Clearlake Capital…

Featured image for “Autonomous-vehicle plant could add $300M to economy”
The Holon people mover is fully electric and autonomous, with room for 15 people. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
March 20, 2025

Autonomous-vehicle plant could add $300M to economy

The Holon autonomous-vehicle plant is expected to create 800 jobs, according to an analysis by the University of North Florida.…

Featured image for “Derrick Gaffney, former NFL pro from Jax, dies at 69”
Former New York Jets wide receiver Derrick Gaffney
March 19, 2025

Derrick Gaffney, former NFL pro from Jax, dies at 69

Gaffney, a New York Jets receiver, was the brother of former Jacksonville City Council members Don and Reggie Gaffney Sr.…