Steven Ponson

Steven Ponson has six years of experience covering news in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.

Prior to arriving on the First Coast, Steven also worked in radio in Orlando. He attended the University of Central Florida where he earned a degree in radio and television. Steven has been a reporter, producer, anchor and board operator.

Outside of work, Steven loves to watch sports, cook delicious cajun food (as any good Louisiana native does) and spend time outdoors.

Featured image for “30 sailors and Marines injured off Jacksonville coast”
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May 3, 2024

30 sailors and Marines injured off Jacksonville coast

A training incident involving two landing craft air cushions occurred about 100 nautical miles off the coast.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY l Does beach renourishment disturb sea turtles?”
Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol works with the Army Corps of Engineers and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to protect sea turtles during beach renourishment. l Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
May 3, 2024

#AskJAXTDY l Does beach renourishment disturb sea turtles?

A Jacksonville Today reader wonders if sea turtles are at risk when beaches are renourished during nesting season.…

Featured image for “Walmart is closing all 6 health centers on First Coast”
Walmart is closing all of its 51 health centers in five states, including six in Northeast Florida.
May 1, 2024

Walmart is closing all 6 health centers on First Coast

Overall, Walmart will close 51 health centers in five states that have not made money.…

Featured image for “Corrections officer among 17 charged in Duval jail drug ring”
The Duval County jail. | Jacksonville Daily Record
April 30, 2024

Corrections officer among 17 charged in Duval jail drug ring

Sheriff T.K. Waters said investigators got a tip that corrections officer Kobe Collett was smuggling drugs into the jail.…

Featured image for “Beach renourishment begins along Duval shoreline”
Beach renourishment efforts started Monday, April 29, 2024, along Duval County's beaches. l Steven Ponson, Jacksonville Today
April 29, 2024

Beach renourishment begins along Duval shoreline

The beach restoration is the first in Duval County since 2019. The federal government pays the $32 million cost.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville cop accused of crashing cruiser and fleeing”
A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office police officer has resigned after he was charged with hitting a vehicle and leaving the scene this past weekend. l File
April 23, 2024

Jacksonville cop accused of crashing cruiser and fleeing

Officer John Burr was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving injuries. He has resigned from the Jacksonville…

Featured image for “Jax dog shelter is desperate for foster homes”
Amelia is one of the dogs at Jacksonville's Animal Care and Protective Services shelter. The shelter needs 60 foster homes for dogs while repairs are made to air conditioning. | Animal Care and Protective Services
April 23, 2024

Jax dog shelter is desperate for foster homes

Animal Care and Protective Services needs foster homes for 60 dogs by Wednesday as repairs are made to the shelter’s…

Featured image for “That call you got from the IRS may be a scam”
Reported impersonation scams have been on the rise in Florida over the last five years. l Rodion Kutsaiev, Unsplash.
April 22, 2024

That call you got from the IRS may be a scam

The number of impersonation scams reported in Florida has increased 84% per capita in five years, FBI data shows.…

Featured image for “Hundreds of kittens land at Jax Humane Society”
The Jacksonville Humane Society is dealing with an influx of kittens. l Jacksonville Humane Society
April 18, 2024

Hundreds of kittens land at Jax Humane Society

The Jacksonville Humane Society is asking for the public’s help after an influx of kittens in the past month.…

Featured image for “More families desperate for food than during the pandemic”
Demand is increasing to feed food-insecure people in Northeast Florida. l Feeding Northeast Florida
April 17, 2024

More families desperate for food than during the pandemic

Feeding Northeast Florida says it is distributing 17% more food now than during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Featured image for “Beaches leaders fight to preserve schools”
Leaders in the Beaches communities are urging Duval County Public Schools not to make changes to schools in their communities. l Element5 Digital, Unsplash
April 16, 2024

Beaches leaders fight to preserve schools

Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach city councils voted to oppose the closure or consolidation of schools in their communities.…

Featured image for “Interim CEO appointed to replace departing Jay Stowe”
Jay Stowe resigned as CEO of JEA. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 15, 2024

Interim CEO appointed to replace departing Jay Stowe

JEA veteran Vickie Cavey was appointed as interim CEO after Jay Stowe resigned in a “mutual decision” with the Board…

Featured image for “Jax Beach considers options to stem unruly crowds”
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
April 11, 2024

Jax Beach considers options to stem unruly crowds

The city may crack down on unauthorized events after three shootings on St. Patrick’s Day.…

Featured image for “Leaders fight possible closure of Atlantic Beach Elementary”
Atlantic Beach city commissioners approved a resolution Monday urging Duval County Schools to keep Atlantic Beach Elementary School open. | News 4 Jax
April 9, 2024

Leaders fight possible closure of Atlantic Beach Elementary

Duval County Public Schools is considering a recommendation to close 37 schools across the county.…

Featured image for “Assessing Jacksonville’s health insurance campaign”
April 9, 2024

Assessing Jacksonville’s health insurance campaign

The Get Covered Jax program signed up nearly 41,000 people for health insurance, but it trailed other large metro areas…

Featured image for “Jax Beach decides against moratorium on events”
Police converge on downtown Jacksonville Beach on March 17 after multiple shootings left one person dead and three others injured. | News4Jax
April 2, 2024

Jax Beach decides against moratorium on events

City Council rejected an ordinance that would have put a moratorium on special event permits in response to three shootings…

Featured image for “UF graduate campus gets green light in Jacksonville”
Students walk by Century Tower on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville. | Sam Thomas, Fresh Take Florida
March 28, 2024

UF graduate campus gets green light in Jacksonville

The Florida Board of Governors approved plans for a University of Florida graduate campus Downtown.…

Featured image for “MOSH gets $10 million boost from CSX for new museum”
The Museum of Science & History plans a new, larger museum on the Northbank. | MOSH
March 26, 2024

MOSH gets $10 million boost from CSX for new museum

The donation is the largest yet in a campaign to build a new Museum of Science & History on the…

Featured image for “Two dead in St. Augustine plane crash”
Two people died Monday when this small plane crashed in St. Augustine. | News4Jax
March 25, 2024

Two dead in St. Augustine plane crash

A small plane crashed in the woods while trying to return to the Northeast Florida Regional Airport shortly after takeoff.…

Featured image for “Carnival will continue to cruise from Jax through 2026”
The Carnival Elation sails year-round from Jacksonville to the Bahamas. l Jaxport
March 25, 2024

Carnival will continue to cruise from Jax through 2026

Jaxport on Monday extended its agreement with Carnival Cruise Line, which sails the Elation from Jacksonville to the Bahamas.…

Featured image for “New Berlin Road widening worries some residents”
Road construction is planned for a section of New Berlin Road in Jacksonville's Oceanway community. | News4Jax.
March 22, 2024

New Berlin Road widening worries some residents

Residents are worried about traffic flow during a road construction project in the Oceanway community.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY l Why can’t I vote at any polling place on Election Day?”
A Jacksonville Today reader wonders why voters can't cast their ballot at any polling place.
March 22, 2024

#AskJAXTDY l Why can’t I vote at any polling place on Election Day?

A Jacksonville Today reader wonders why voters can’t cast their ballots at any polling location, the same as they can…

Featured image for “What to expect during Tuesday’s presidential primary in Florida”
A voting precinct in Jacksonville's Lakewood neighborhood. | Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
March 18, 2024

What to expect during Tuesday’s presidential primary in Florida

The election is a closed primary, meaning only registered Republicans can cast a ballot for one of the seven presidential…

Featured image for “Migrant worker released in deputy’s death”
Virgilio Aguilar-Mendez is released from custody. | News4Jax
March 18, 2024

Migrant worker released in deputy’s death

Virgilio Aguilar-Mendez was released from custody after charges against him were dropped in the death of St. Johns County Sgt.…