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 “Search for missing Putnam boy ends in tragedy”
Mason Newstead. | Putnam County Sheriff's Office
March 22, 2024

Search for missing Putnam boy ends in tragedy

Mason Newstead, a 4 year-old child with special needs, was found dead in the St. Johns River, about a block…

Featured image for “Personal data breached in Jacksonville Beach cyberattack”
Jacksonville Beach. | City of Jacksonville Beach Facebook
March 20, 2024

Personal data breached in Jacksonville Beach cyberattack

Cyber criminals who attacked Jacksonville Beach’s computer systems may have obtained people’s personal information, the city said.…

Featured image for “Jax Beach police seek videos from shootings”
A crowd packs Jacksonville Beach on Sunday, March 17, 2024. | News4Jax
March 20, 2024

Jax Beach police seek videos from shootings

Police have set up a digital site where people can upload videos of the violence that erupted Sunday.…

Featured image for “The Honey Dripper ice cream lady goes for a big treat”
Alice Kimbrough's Honey Dripper House ice cream truck. | Alice Kimbrough, Facebook
March 20, 2024

The Honey Dripper ice cream lady goes for a big treat

Alice Kimbrough, who operates the Honey Dripper House ice cream truck, is a national finalist for a $25,000 grant from…

Featured image for “Victim identified in Jacksonville Beach shooting”
Cellphone video shows large crowds of people on the beach Sunday night near the pier in Jacksonville Beach on March 17, 2024. Two people are seen fighting in the sand. | Jacksonville Beach Police Department
March 19, 2024

Victim identified in Jacksonville Beach shooting

James Jones III, 21, was killed in the third of three shootings Sunday night as partiers descended on Jacksonville Beach.…

Featured image for “1 dead and 3 others shot in Jacksonville Beach”
Police converge on downtown Jacksonville Beach on March 17 after multiple shootings left one person dead and three others injured. | News4Jax
March 18, 2024

1 dead and 3 others shot in Jacksonville Beach

Violence erupted as crowds packed Jax Beach for spring break, the Players Championship and St. Patrick’s Day.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville Jazz Fest announces lineup at new site”
Fireworks explode during a recent Jacksonville Jazz Festival. | Jacksonville Jazz Festival
March 15, 2024

Jacksonville Jazz Fest announces lineup at new site

The 2024 Jacksonville Jazz Festival will return to Metropolitan Park with headliners like Joss Stone and Keiki Matsui.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | Who makes the colorful critters at the Beaches?”
One of Scotie Cousin's creations hangs in its natural habitat. | Scotie Cousin, Facebook
March 15, 2024

#AskJAXTDY | Who makes the colorful critters at the Beaches?

A reader asks who’s putting little works of animal art with big expressive eyes on trees and lawns at the…

Featured image for “Tips for getting to the Players Championship this weekend”
A crowd packs the Players Championship on Friday, March 15, 2024. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
March 15, 2024

Tips for getting to the Players Championship this weekend

Parking is sold out for Friday and Saturday, but passes could still be available on the Players’ resale site. Or…

Featured image for “Nassau deputy’s killer argues he can’t get fair sentence”
The cruiser of Nassau County Deputy Josh Moyers is decorated with memorial flowers and messages after his fatal shooting in 2021. | News4Jax
March 14, 2024

Nassau deputy’s killer argues he can’t get fair sentence

Patrick Rene McDowell, who admitted shooting Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers, wants his sentencing moved outside Northeast Florida.…

Featured image for “Former Public Defender Matt Shirk disbarred”
Matt Shirk | News4Jax
March 14, 2024

Former Public Defender Matt Shirk disbarred

Shirk, the subject of repeated ethics investigations, was disbarred for praticing law after his license had been suspended.…

Featured image for “Volunteers needed for St. Johns River Celebration”
Volunteers clean a Jacksonville beachfront during a recent St. Johns River Celebration. | City of Jacksonville
March 13, 2024

Volunteers needed for St. Johns River Celebration

Volunteers are needed Saturday to clean up Jacksonville’s parks, boat ramps, waterways and neighborhoods.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | Will Jax Beach explain its ‘cybersecurity event’?”
Jacksonville Beach City Hall | Google Maps
March 13, 2024

#AskJAXTDY | Will Jax Beach explain its ‘cybersecurity event’?

A Jacksonville Today reader wonders whether Jacksonville Beach is still experiencing the effects of an possible cyberattack in late January.…

Featured image for “No knives, no guns, no shock absorbers: TSA warns travelers”
Surrendered items -- including a grenade-shaped bottle of hot sauce -- fill a table at Jacksonville International Airport on Tuesdasy, march 12, 2024. | Dan Scanlan, WJCT News 89.9
March 12, 2024

No knives, no guns, no shock absorbers: TSA warns travelers

Spring break and the Players Championship are packing flyers into Jacksonville International Airport. People with prohibited items can slow security…

Featured image for “Karma opens ‘ultra-luxury’ EV dealership in Jacksonville”
The new Karma electric Kaveya sports coupe concept was part of the grand opening of Jacksonville's new Karma dealership on Beach Boulevard. | Dan Scanlan, WJCT News 89.9
March 11, 2024

Karma opens ‘ultra-luxury’ EV dealership in Jacksonville

Karma Automotive picked Jacksonville for its fourth location in Florida. It is the second all-electric vehicle dealership in town.…

Featured image for “Monster Jam will mean monster traffic this weekend”
The Lucas Stabiliser, designed to look like a semi-truck, will compete with Linsey Read at the helm among 11 other monster trucks at Monster Jam. | Monster Jam
March 7, 2024

Monster Jam will mean monster traffic this weekend

Monster Jam will roar into EverBank Stadium on Saturday, bringing up to 70,000 fans on a busy night of Downtown…

Featured image for “New fire station to open next to Fernandina Beach airport”
A design drawing shows the new First Station 2 in Fernandina Beach. | Passero Associates
March 6, 2024

New fire station to open next to Fernandina Beach airport

The new $5 million station will replace an outdated station that sits in a flood-prone spot a block from the…

Featured image for “Jacksonville creates dashboards to share data on permitting, animals and more”
Wanyonyi Kendrick, chief information officer for the city of Jacksonville, describes the features of the city's new Transparency Dashboards. | Casmira Harrison, Jacksonville Today
March 5, 2024

Jacksonville creates dashboards to share data on permitting, animals and more

The Mayor’s Transparency Dashboards show a variety of information about animal control, public works, permitting and the city’s children’s reading…

Featured image for “JU law school obtains provisional accreditation”
The Jacksonville University College of Law is moving into the historic former Atlantic Bank Building at 121 W. Forsyth St.
March 4, 2024

JU law school obtains provisional accreditation

Accreditation from the American Bar Association makes students eligible to take the bar exam.…

Featured image for “Historic Ferrari and curvaceous Delahaye win at The Amelia”
A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO race car, left, owned by David MacNeil won Best of Show-Concours de Sport. Dana Mecum's 1947 Delahaye 135MS Narval Cabriolet earned Best of Show-Concours d'Elegance. | Dan Scanlan, WJCT News 89.9
March 4, 2024

Historic Ferrari and curvaceous Delahaye win at The Amelia

Thousands of people braved the threat of rain for the 29th iteration of The Amelia concours d’elegance.…

Featured image for “Naval aviator takes the reins at NAS Jacksonville”
Capt. Gregory deWindt speaks after his appointment as commanding officer of Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. | Master at Arms Scottie Coombs, U.S. Navy
February 29, 2024

Naval aviator takes the reins at NAS Jacksonville

Executive Officer Capt. Greg deWindt took over command of the sprawling base on Roosevelt Boulevard after a ceremony Thursday. He…

Featured image for “Thousands will hit the roads Saturday for Gate River Run”
Runners cruise past the finish line at the Gate River Run. | Gate River Run
February 29, 2024

Thousands will hit the roads Saturday for Gate River Run

Some 16,000 runners will cruise through Downtown, the Southside and Arlington in one of the best-known 15K races in the…

Featured image for “The Amelia draws thousands for classic cars and racing stars”
Some of the thousands of fans who flocked to The Amelia concours d'Elegance check out a row of rare Denzel sports cars built in Austria. | Dan Scanlan, WJCT News 89.9
February 28, 2024

The Amelia draws thousands for classic cars and racing stars

The region’s largest automobile event hits Amelia Island this weekend for the 29th time as The Amelia rumbles in with…

Featured image for “Mayport ferry operator files for bankruptcy; service unaffected”
The St. Johns River Ferry. | JTA
February 28, 2024

Mayport ferry operator files for bankruptcy; service unaffected

The JTA, which owns the ferry service, says there will be no affect on people who use the ferry or…