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 “Operation Continuing Promise mission departs Mayport for Jamaica, Central America”
Rear Adm. Jim Aiken, U.S. 4th Fleet Commander, (right) speaks to the crew of the U.S. Burlington before it embarks on its 2-month "Operation Continuing promise" to Jamaica, Costa Rica, Honduras, Colombia, and Panama. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
July 2, 2024

Operation Continuing Promise mission departs Mayport for Jamaica, Central America

The U.S. Navy’s USNS Burlington transport ship launched on Wednesday from Naval Station Mayport to bring Operation Continuing Promise, and…

Featured image for “Navy destroyer returns home to Mayport after helping fight Houthi rebels”
Family members greet the crew of the U.S.S. Mason at Naval Station Mayport after a nearly nine-month deployment. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
July 2, 2024

Navy destroyer returns home to Mayport after helping fight Houthi rebels

A crew of about 350 returned to Mayport Tuesday after a nine-month deployment to the Red Sea.…

Featured image for “Plan your July 4th: Jacksonville area events”
A recent Downtown fireworks display. | Visit Jacksonville
July 1, 2024

Plan your July 4th: Jacksonville area events

Fireworks will fly high over many parts of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida on Thursday, the 4th of July.…

Featured image for “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park opens in LaVilla”
The title of the song written by James Weldon Johnson and his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, stand tall on one end of the park honoring the men at their birthplace in Jacksonville's historic LaVilla community. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 27, 2024

Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park opens in LaVilla

The park honors brothers James Weldon and Rosamond Johnson, who composed the music known as the Black national anthem.…

Featured image for “Extreme heat leads city to open new cooling centers”
The heat index in Northeast Florida could hit 112 on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
June 26, 2024

Extreme heat leads city to open new cooling centers

Jacksonville is opening an expanded number of cooling centers after a third straight day of high heat indexes.…

Featured image for “Here’s what they’re considering for Metropolitan Park”
Dozens of people gathered Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at the Main Library to look at three possible redesigns for Metropolitan Park. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 25, 2024

Here’s what they’re considering for Metropolitan Park

An architectural firm has put together three concepts for the park based on input from the community.…

Featured image for “Youth soccer clinic planned as UK teams compete in Jax”
Members of the All Nations Soccer Academy play on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at the Jacksonville Jaguars' flex field, where the youth clinic will be held in a month. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 25, 2024

Youth soccer clinic planned as UK teams compete in Jax

Two English Premier League clubs — the Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United — will compete in the Statewide Cup…

Featured image for “Jacksonville adds cooling stations as summer heat grows”
Mayor Donna Deegan listens as Adm. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary of health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, speaks at the Main Library on Monday, June 24, 2024. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 24, 2024

Jacksonville adds cooling stations as summer heat grows

The city is expanding help for people who can’t cope with the extreme heat predicted this year and beyond.…

Featured image for “Huguenot Park reopens after road was washed out”
Workers rebuild the road at Huguenot Park. | News4Jax
June 21, 2024

Huguenot Park reopens after road was washed out

The road was rebuilt Saturday, and beachgoers flocked to the sandy stretches Sunday.…

Featured image for “Residents sue to stop morgue: ‘Brentwood’s not a cemetery!’”
Metro Gardens Neighborhood Association President Lydia Bell announces a lawsuit against the city to stop construction of a new medical examiner's office in Brentwood. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 20, 2024

Residents sue to stop morgue: ‘Brentwood’s not a cemetery!’

The Metro Gardens Neighborhood Association has filed suit against the city to halt construction of a medical examiner’s office in…

Featured image for “Jacksonville police union reaches contract agreement”
The Fraternal Order of Police has reached a tentative contract agreement with the city of Jacksonville.
June 20, 2024

Jacksonville police union reaches contract agreement

Police officers would receive a 13% salary increase in fiscal 2024-2025. Corrections officers would get 15%.…

Featured image for “Wildfire dangers rising in parched Northeast Florida”
A lack of rain has left extremely dry conditions all over Northeast Florida. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 18, 2024

Wildfire dangers rising in parched Northeast Florida

Northeast Florida is experiencing some of the driest conditions in the state, and the threat of wildfires could become serious…

Featured image for “Jacksonville honors 159th anniversary of Juneteenth”
Jacksonville civil rights leader Rodney Hurst Sr. speaks about the importance of Juneteenth at City Hall on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 18, 2024

Jacksonville honors 159th anniversary of Juneteenth

Community leaders gathered Tuesday to commemorate Juneteenth as Mayor Donna Deegan named her inaugural Mayoral Advisory Board for African Americans.…

Featured image for “Pass Go and buy a bridge? Jax Monopoly is on the way”
Possible Monopoly properties were displayed as a Jacksonville version of the game was announced Thursday, June 13, 2024. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 13, 2024

Pass Go and buy a bridge? Jax Monopoly is on the way

The game’s manufacturer, Top Trumps USA, is asking people to suggest landmarks and businesses to appear on the board.…

Featured image for “Fraud suspect stole more than $59,000 from mailboxes”
June 13, 2024

Fraud suspect stole more than $59,000 from mailboxes

Frank Anthony Acanda pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud after hitting mailboxes in Fleming Island, Jacksonville and St.…

Featured image for “Mangroves creep north due to lack of ‘lethal freeze’ in Florida”
Assistant Professor Scott Jones and ecologist William Vervaeke show mangroves they discovered near Cumberland Island. | University of North Florida
June 12, 2024

Mangroves creep north due to lack of ‘lethal freeze’ in Florida

Researchers found mangroves at Cumberland Island in southeast Georgia, another indication of a warming climate.…

Featured image for “Chick-fil-A approved over neighbors’ objections”
Chick-fil-A has been approved for this site along Lady Lake Road west of Duval Station Centre. | Jacksonville Daily Record
June 12, 2024

Chick-fil-A approved over neighbors’ objections

Jacksonville City Council voted 12-7 to approve rezoning for the fast-food restaurant in Oceanway.…

Featured image for “8 arrested in Hastings drug and gambling bust”
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office confiscated $400,000 in cash, gambling machines and drug paraphernalia at a store in Hastings. | St. Johns County Sheriff's Office
June 11, 2024

8 arrested in Hastings drug and gambling bust

Investigators seized gambling machines, drug paraphernalia and $400,000 cash in a raid at the 207 Express store.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY l What’s the plan for fenced-off lot in Jax Beach?”
This fenced-in lot on 1st Street North will be reopned to parking in Jacksonville Beach. | Google
June 10, 2024

#AskJAXTDY l What’s the plan for fenced-off lot in Jax Beach?

A Jacksonville Today reader wants to know when Jacksonville Beach will do something about a fenced-off lot near the beach.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville firefighters reach contract agreement”
Jacksonville firefighters have reached a tentative contract agreeement.
June 7, 2024

Jacksonville firefighters reach contract agreement

The contract includes a 12% salary increase in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Retirement benefits for new enrollees would move to…

Featured image for “UNF students dig deep into the history of an ancient people”
University of North Florida history student Shawn Steiner meticulously sorts through a 1,000-year-old Timucua midden mound, looking for pottery shards and other artifacts at a dig site within the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
June 7, 2024

UNF students dig deep into the history of an ancient people

University of North Florida students are uncovering Jacksonville’s Timucuan past during archaeological digs along the Intracoastal Waterway.…

Featured image for “Sheriff’s Office nears move to former Florida Blue site”
The Florida Blue office complex in Brooklyn. | Jacksonville Daily Record
June 6, 2024

Sheriff’s Office nears move to former Florida Blue site

Hundreds of Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigators and staff will move to the Florida Blue Riverside Office Complex in the fall.…

Featured image for “Boater Skip Day floats into Bayard Point on Friday”
Boats cram Bayard Point during Clay County’s unofficial Boater Skip Day last year | 904 Happy Hour
June 5, 2024

Boater Skip Day floats into Bayard Point on Friday

Hundreds of boaters will skip work Friday and party on the St. Johns River in Clay County.…

Featured image for “Police test bodycams in Clay County”
Clay County Deputy Mike White is one of 12 officers testing bodycams in the department. The current unit being tested is an AXON Body 4. | Clay County Sheriff's Office
June 4, 2024

Police test bodycams in Clay County

Almost six years after the first police bodycams arrived in Northeast Florida, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office is adopting them.…