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 “Dad gets 30 years for running over baby and killing him”
Justin Golden stands with attorney Kenneth Williams as he is sentenced to 30 years in prison in his baby's death. | News4Jax
December 19, 2025

Dad gets 30 years for running over baby and killing him

Justin Golden admitted he put his 8-month-old baby on the road but said he did not intend to kill him.…

Featured image for “Drag strip starts construction, the first track since 2017”
This sign now shows the planned location of the new eighth-mile Hicken Power Dragstrip at Callahan Speedway. | Image in Time Photography
December 19, 2025

Drag strip starts construction, the first track since 2017

Racing could begin in May or June at the new drag strip at Callahan Speedway, next to a go-kart complex.…

Featured image for “Cummer Museum receives one of its biggest gifts ever”
The entrance to the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, which just received a $3.5 million bequest from the estate of the late Betsy Lovett. | Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
December 18, 2025

Cummer Museum receives one of its biggest gifts ever

The estate of philanthropist Betsy Lovett has bequested $3.5 million to the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.…

Featured image for “Brooks Rehabilitation embarks on $68M expansion”
An artist's rendering of the planned expansion of Brooks Rehabilitation's Orange Park outpatient facility. | Brooks Rehabilitation
December 16, 2025

Brooks Rehabilitation embarks on $68M expansion

Brooks Rehabilitation will expand its Southside, Mandarin and Orange Park sites beginning next year.…

Featured image for “MAD DADS dissolves, but senior member says it will return”
People sign a poster remembering murder victims during a MAD DADS march in November 2024. | MAD DADS
December 16, 2025

MAD DADS dissolves, but senior member says it will return

MAD DADS filed paperwork to dissolve itself, but the group may return in a new form with a new board.…

Featured image for “Two more fallen firefighters memorialized in Jacksonville”
Firefighters line up during Jacksonville’s Fallen Firefighter Memorial on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. Each helmet carries the name of one of the 28 who have died in the line of duty. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
December 11, 2025

Two more fallen firefighters memorialized in Jacksonville

Engineers Ian Church and Jason Woodruff died of cancers contracted in the line of duty.…

Featured image for “Florida Theatre President Numa Saisselin resigns”
Numa Saisselin stands inside the Florida Theatre in mid-2023, as a renovation began. Saisselin has resigned as the theater's president. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
December 10, 2025

Florida Theatre President Numa Saisselin resigns

Saisselin said his departure after 13 years was a mutual decision between himself and the Florida Theatre.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville police officer charged with stalking”
Sheriff T.K. Waters speaks Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, about the arrest of a police officer on charges of false imprisonment and stalking. | News4Jax
December 10, 2025

Jacksonville police officer charged with stalking

Officer Claude Fleurimond resigned after he was accused of false imprisonment and stalking his former girlfriend.…

Featured image for “Fatal drug overdoses decline 33% in Jacksonville”
The Narcotics Overdose Death Investigations Unit rushes a house during a recent drug investigation. | Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
December 9, 2025

Fatal drug overdoses decline 33% in Jacksonville

Sheriff T.K. Waters credits a 4-year-old investigations unit focused on narcotics overdose deaths.…

Featured image for “Teams rescue entangled right whale off St. Marys”
An endangered North Atlantic right whale named "Division" was spotted Wednesdaty, Dec. 3, 2025, off Jekyll Island, Georgia. Fishing lines were entangled around ihis body. | Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
December 8, 2025

Teams rescue entangled right whale off St. Marys

The endangered whale, named “Division, was severely entangled in fishing lines off St. Marys, Georgia.…

Featured image for “Gingerbread extravaganza takes its artistry to new home”
Gingerbread creations like a snow-covered White House are part of the 23rd annual Gingerbread Extravaganza at the Jacksonville History Center. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
December 5, 2025

Gingerbread extravaganza takes its artistry to new home

The Jacksonville Historical Society’s 23rd annual extravaganza features 41 gingerbread creations.…

Featured image for “Palatka residents warned of lead in drinking water”
Palatka officials have issued a public drinking water notice after recent sampling showed elevated lead levels in more than 10% of homes tested. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
December 5, 2025

Palatka residents warned of lead in drinking water

Water samples showed elevated lead in more than 10% of the homes tested, the city said.…

Featured image for “Final littoral combat ship destined for Mayport”
The USS Cleveland will join the littoral combat squadron at Naval Station Mayport, the last of its kind, the Navy says. | U.S. Navy
December 4, 2025

Final littoral combat ship destined for Mayport

The U.S. Navy has accepted delivery of the USS Cleveland. The ship will homeport at Mayport Naval Station.…

Featured image for “Police officer cleared in shooting of unarmed boy”
State Attorney Melissa Nelson explains why she decided a police officer's shooting of an unarmed boy was lawful. | News4Jax
December 4, 2025

Police officer cleared in shooting of unarmed boy

The police officer was justified in shooting the boy, but communication errors contributed, the state attorney says.…

Featured image for “Paid parking clears first vote in Fernandina Beach”
This parking spot in front of the Downtown Fernandina Beach post office at 401 Centre St could be included in the proposed paid parking plan.
December 3, 2025

Paid parking clears first vote in Fernandina Beach

The City Commission will take a final parking vote on Jan. 6, but a lawsuit and referendum are pending.…

Featured image for “St. Johns deputies kill gunman who threatened coworker”
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office investigates the fatal shooting Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, of a gunman on U.S. 1. | St. Johns County Sheriff's Office
December 3, 2025

St. Johns deputies kill gunman who threatened coworker

The gunman led deputies on a chase down U.S. 1 and yelled “shoot me, shoot me,” the sheriff said.…

Featured image for “Lights and action usher in Jacksonville’s inaugural River Fest”
Brett Price helps erect the holiday tree inside Riverfront Plaza on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. Price previously built Jacksonville's holiday tree in James Weldon Johnson Park for the previous five years. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 25, 2025

Lights and action usher in Jacksonville’s inaugural River Fest

Fireworks, a lighted boat parade and a sneak peek at Jacksonville new downtown park are all at Saturday’s River Fest.…

Featured image for “Mandarin Food Bank’s 35th Thanksgiving giveaway helps 450 families”
Frozen turkeys, fresh milk and produce and other staples are on tables at the Mandarin Food Bank's annual Thanksgiving giveaway on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
November 24, 2025

Mandarin Food Bank’s 35th Thanksgiving giveaway helps 450 families

The annual drive saw more need this year as the pause in SNAP benefits from the government shutdown ends.…

Featured image for “440-acre motorsports complex gets green flag in Palatka”
This 440-acre motorsports complex includes a racetrack, go-kart course, meeting space, garages and more. | Putnam County
November 19, 2025

440-acre motorsports complex gets green flag in Palatka

A father and son team wants to build the $200 million motorsports complex next to the municipal airport.…

Featured image for “State launches program to protect seniors from scams”
Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins announces a new program aimed at stopping senior scams. He spoke Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, at the Cypress Village retirement community in Jacksonville. | News4Jax
November 18, 2025

State launches program to protect seniors from scams

Lt. Gov. Jay Shields came to Jacksonville on Tuesday to announce Operation Senior Shield, a scam alert system.…

Featured image for “City sets sail on new Downtown fireboat station”
An illustration of a new marine fire station has been erected at the riverfront site where the station will be built. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
November 14, 2025

City sets sail on new Downtown fireboat station

Ground was broken Friday for a new fireboat station to serve Jacksonville’s growing Downtown.…

Featured image for “Volunteers refurbish Five Star Veterans Center”
Volunteers from Rebuilding Together Greater Florida, The Home Depot Foundation and others rebuild the Five Stars veterans center gardens on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
November 13, 2025

Volunteers refurbish Five Star Veterans Center

More than 70 volunteers pitched in from Home Depot, Rebuilding Together Greater Florida and other groups.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville’s first Mormon temple sets groundbreaking”
A private groundbreaking is set for January for Jacksonville's first Latter-day Saints temple in Mandarin. | Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
November 11, 2025

Jacksonville’s first Mormon temple sets groundbreaking

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will break ground for the temple on Jan. 24.…

Featured image for “Donations sought to restore Peg Leg Pete in Fernandina”
Peg Leg Pete now stands now outside the Amelia Island Museum of History. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
November 10, 2025

Donations sought to restore Peg Leg Pete in Fernandina

A fundraiser aims to raise $23,000 to repair the Peg Leg Pete statue and return it to the waterfront.…