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 “Mandarin seeks to preserve its character as growth continues”
A canopy of trees hangs over part of Mandarin Road near Brady Road in Mandarin. It is near the home of the man who named the community in 1830 — Calvin Reed. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
July 21, 2026

Mandarin seeks to preserve its character as growth continues

The Mandarin Area Preservation Project will begin with two public workshops on Wednesday.…

Featured image for “Deegan plans 8 town hall meetings to discuss proposed city budget”
Mayor Donna Deegan, on stage at right, speaks at a town hall meeting on March 24, 2026, at Springfield Middle School. | City of Jacksonville
July 20, 2026

Deegan plans 8 town hall meetings to discuss proposed city budget

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan will meet with residents in August and September to discuss her budget priorities.…

Featured image for “UNF poll finds mixed opinions on ballot issue to cut property taxes”
Ballot boxes at a voting booth. | Felix, rawpixel.com, stock.adobe.com
July 20, 2026

UNF poll finds mixed opinions on ballot issue to cut property taxes

Support was weaker when the poll explained that tax cuts could severely reduce public services.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville write-in candidate accused of threatening to kill Trump”
Discharged U.S. Marine William L. Upham, as seen in a Facebook video threatening President Trump. | William Upham, Facebook
July 16, 2026

Jacksonville write-in candidate accused of threatening to kill Trump

Prosecutors say discharged Marine William L. Upham posted a video calling President Trump “the enemy of God.”…

Featured image for “Tractor-trailer hits and kills man running from ICE in St. Augustine”
Police investigate the death of a man on State Road 16 who was running from ICE agents. | St. Johns County Sheriffs Office
July 14, 2026

Tractor-trailer hits and kills man running from ICE in St. Augustine

The death came amid increased scrutiny of ICE after agents shot and killed two people in other states.…

Featured image for “Fire Rescue unit stolen from Main Street fire station in Jacksonville”
A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department unit is parked at the scene of a traffic crash on Hogan Road. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
July 14, 2026

Fire Rescue unit stolen from Main Street fire station in Jacksonville

Someone walked into the fire station, started up the rescue vehicle and drove off. Police stopped him 5 miles away.…

Featured image for “Sulzbacher begins construction on next phase of Enterprise Village”
The apartment complex for men is nearing completion at the Sulzbacher's new Enterprise Village, as seen in May. | Sulzbacher
July 10, 2026

Sulzbacher begins construction on next phase of Enterprise Village

Sulzbacher is expanding its services in housing, healthcare and job training for people without homes.…

Featured image for “Q&A | Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters discusses the jail, police shootings and more”
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters speaks with Jacksonville Today on Thursday, July 9, 2026. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
July 10, 2026

Q&A | Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters discusses the jail, police shootings and more

Sheriff T.K. Waters sat down with Jacksonville Today to talk about his department halfway through 2026.…

Featured image for “Cold case solved: 70-year-old man arrested in woman’s 1987 death”
Melissa "Missy" Ellison and her then-baby daughter, Casie, in a photograph taken just before she was murdered in 1987 in her Westside home. | Project Cold Case/Ellison family
July 9, 2026

Cold case solved: 70-year-old man arrested in woman’s 1987 death

Melissa Ellison was clubbed to death with a fire log in her Westside home. Her young daughter was uninjured.…

Featured image for “Historic Black church in Palatka is recognized on National Register”
St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Palatka is an example of the Carpenter Gothic style of architecture. | City of Palatka
July 8, 2026

Historic Black church in Palatka is recognized on National Register

The 143-year-old church was described 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
July 8, 2026

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.
July 7, 2026

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
July 6, 2026

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.…