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 “Historic Black church in Palatka receives national recognition”
St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Palatka is an example of the Carpenter Gothic style of architecture. | City of Palatka
34 minutes ago

Historic Black church in Palatka receives national recognition

The 143-year-old church was recognized as one of the most significant African American churches in Florida.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville under heat advisory as dangerous temperatures return”
Photo of Indian Riverside Park in Martin County. | Martin County
7 hours ago

Jacksonville under heat advisory as dangerous temperatures return

The heat index in Northeast Florida could reach as high as 112 degrees, and heat advisories are possible all week.…

Featured image for “Jake Gordon to step down as CEO after 11 years at Downtown Vision Inc.”
Jake Gordon, CEO of Jacksonville’s Downtown Vision Inc., will step down as of Sept. 30. | Downtown Vision Inc.
1 day ago

Jake Gordon to step down as CEO after 11 years at Downtown Vision Inc.

Gordon said it was time for new perspectives at Downtown Vision, a nonprofit that aims to revitalize Downtown.…

Featured image for “European Street Café to open 4th site at Riverfront Plaza in Downtown”
A rendering of the planned second phase of Riverfront Plaza, showing a beer garden and restaurant. | City of Jacksonville/Perkins & Will
2 days ago

European Street Café to open 4th site at Riverfront Plaza in Downtown

The restaurant will open in the second phase of Riverfront Plaza, which is under construction.…

Featured image for “Here’s a rundown of fireworks on the First Coast for America’s 250th”
A recent 4th of July fireworks display over Downtown Jacksonville. | City of Jacksonville
July 1, 2026

Here’s a rundown of fireworks on the First Coast for America’s 250th

Fireworks will fly up and down the St. Johns River from Jacksonville to Palatka — and along the Atlantic beaches.…

Featured image for “HUD and Jacksonville team up to create affordable housing on Northside”
This manufactured home is an example of how Jacksonville and HUD hope to increase affordable housing. | City of Jacksonville
June 30, 2026

HUD and Jacksonville team up to create affordable housing on Northside

The Starter Home Initiative will use manufactured homes to create more affordable housing.…

Featured image for “Duval Schools principal accused of failing to report child abuse”
Baldwin Middle-Senior High School. | Google
June 30, 2026

Duval Schools principal accused of failing to report child abuse

Principal Michael Aaron Townsend was charged in connection with the arrest of a teacher last month.…

Featured image for “Some Buckman Bridge lanes will close this weekend, but only overnight”
Traffic moves across the Buckman Bridge. | Google Maps
June 26, 2026

Some Buckman Bridge lanes will close this weekend, but only overnight

Single southbound lanes of the Buckman will close from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.…

Featured image for “Next segment of First Coast Expressway opens Monday in Clay County”
An aerial image shows the next segment of the First Coast Expressway from U.S. 17 to Leonard C. Taylor Parkway south of Green Cove Springs. | Florida Department of Transportation
June 26, 2026

Next segment of First Coast Expressway opens Monday in Clay County

The latest section of the expressway stretches from U.S. 17 to south of Green Cove Springs.…

Featured image for “St. Johns environmentalist Sarah Bailey celebrates 100th birthday”
Sarah Bailey during the Saving Julington-Durbin Creek Peninsula Celebration in 2018. | Bailey Family
June 26, 2026

St. Johns environmentalist Sarah Bailey celebrates 100th birthday

Sarah Bailey is an environmental activist, a past county commissioner and a St. Johns County icon.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | Why are there so many gnats this year?”
An illustration of a gnat from the 1863 publication "Lessons from Insect Life" | Biodiversity Heritage Library
June 25, 2026

#AskJAXTDY | Why are there so many gnats this year?

A Jacksonville Today reader wonders whether there are more gnats this year and why that would be.…

Featured image for “A tribute to Edgewood Bakery: Credit union brings another baker to site”
Arble Baking Co. co-founder Alonza Anderson talks about the business' part in the new credit union in the former Edgewood Bakery. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 24, 2026

A tribute to Edgewood Bakery: Credit union brings another baker to site

Community First Credit Union and Arble Baking Co. will be operate at the former Edgewood Bakery site.…

Featured image for “2 inmates planned to escape the St. Johns County jail. They just needed a drone.”
Two inmates planned to escape the St. Johns County jail with the help of a drone, but one of the pair ratted out the other. | Courtesy, Google
June 23, 2026

2 inmates planned to escape the St. Johns County jail. They just needed a drone.

The escape caper collapsed when the inmates argued and one ratted out the other. Now both face more charges.…

Featured image for “Two lanes of Buckman Bridge will be closed again this weekend”
More backups like this are possible on the Buckman Bridge. | FDOT via News4Jax
June 18, 2026

Two lanes of Buckman Bridge will be closed again this weekend

Two northbound lanes will be closed as crews continue to replace the Buckman’s steel joints.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville woman faces prison time for resisting immigration agents”
Police bodycam video shows ICE and Florida Highway Patrol officers arresting Jennifer Cruz on Jan. 13, 2026. | News4Jax
June 18, 2026

Jacksonville woman faces prison time for resisting immigration agents

Jennifer Susan Cruz scuffled with ICE agents and state troopers who were conducting immigration enforcement.…

Featured image for “Hubbard House’s new initiative helps men prevent domestic violence”
Men joined in the fight to prevent domestic violence at the 16th annual Stand Up & Stride Domestic Violence Awareness Walk in Jacksonville in 2025. | Hubbard House
June 16, 2026

Hubbard House’s new initiative helps men prevent domestic violence

Hubbard House’s Not My City program aims to help men prevent violence and become a positive influence.…

Featured image for “Community Hospice pediatric center in Mandarin is a first for Florida”
A fake tree with lit butterflies graces the main gathering area of the new Dorion Family Pediatric Center at Community Hospice & Palliative Care in Mandarin. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 11, 2026

Community Hospice pediatric center in Mandarin is a first for Florida

The hospice assembled all of its pediatric services in a new facility built inside the main center.…

Featured image for “Leader of Feeding Northeast Florida announces her retirement”
Susan King, president and CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida, helps during the regional food bank's 2024 Thanksgiving food giveaway. | Feeding Northeast Florida
June 11, 2026

Leader of Feeding Northeast Florida announces her retirement

Susan King plans to stay on until Feeding Northeast Florida finds a replacement later this year.…

Featured image for “Volunteers plant oyster shell habitats in effort to help clean waterways”
The Riverview Collective Community organization, as well as other groups, installed more than a dozen oyster reefs into the shore at Riverview Park on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. The installation could allow for an additional 300 gallons of water filtration in the Trout River on a daily basis. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 11, 2026

Volunteers plant oyster shell habitats in effort to help clean waterways

More than 30 people carried 84 of the 30-pound oyster habitats into the Trout River at Riverview Park.…

Featured image for “Faulty facial recognition leads to lawsuit after Jacksonville Beach arrest”
A Jacksonville Beach Police Department vehicle. | Jacksonville Beach Police
June 10, 2026

Faulty facial recognition leads to lawsuit after Jacksonville Beach arrest

A Fort Myers man says facial recognition wrongly identified him as the person who tried to lure a child.…

Featured image for “Smoke ’em: New Callahan drag strip inaugurated with burnouts”
Hundreds of fans watched dozens of cars, truck and motorcycles do the first test at Callahan's Hicken Power Dragstrip on Sunday, June 7, 2026. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 8, 2026

Smoke ’em: New Callahan drag strip inaugurated with burnouts

Hundreds of people came out to christen Hicken Power Dragstrip, the region’s first drag strip since 2017.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville makes City Council legislation more accessible to the disabled”
A meeting of the Jacksonville City Council. | City of Jacksonville
June 4, 2026

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
June 3, 2026

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
June 3, 2026

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.…