Welcome to WJCT First Read, your daily weekday morning round-up of stories from the First Coast, around Florida, and across the country. We'll also preview some of WJCT's upcoming news programming.
UF Health Northside hospital still planned: At yesterday's groundbreaking for UF Health Jacksonville's new Northside facility officials said they have re-filed a request for a certificate of need to build a new hospital at the location.
Session proposal on 'Stand Your Ground' fails: Republican state lawmakers have returned enough votes against a special legislative session proposed by Democrats to address the controversial "Stand Your Ground" law. (News Service of Florida via Florida Times-Union)
Second teen dead in Saturday shooting: 14-year-old Megan Simmons, the second teen shot in violence that killed 13-year-old Jazmine Shelton, was taken off life support last night. (News4Jax)
Missouri Ave slashing victim made threats hours before teen killings: A 25-year-old city man with slash wounds reportedly told police, "It won't end and it will be handled," on the same block where Jazmine Shelton and Megan Simmons were shot hours later. (Florida Times-Union)
Funds increase for Jax Air Station drones: A Pensacola-based company has won a $15.9 million contract to build a mission control center for the U.S. Navy's newest unmanned drones, the Triton system, at Air Station Jacksonville. (Jacksonville Business Journal)
Mother of Cristian Fernandez to serve no jail time: Biannela Susana was sentenced to 10 years probation, during which she must hold a job and cannot be in contact with children. (First Coast News)
Tropical system means heavy weekend rain: The First Coast is forecast to get between 2-3 inches of rain through the weekend as a tropical system moves through the Caribbean. (Weather Channel)
Jacksonville tops national home foreclosure data: New data shows 1 in 230 Jacksonville homes were in some stage of the foreclosure process last month, leading the nation. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
Today on First Coast Connect, WJCT CEO Michael Boylan discusses how the station is bringing improved service and programming to public television stations throughout Florida and across the country. The show starts today at 9 a.m. at 89.9 FM and streaming at WJCTOnDemand.
You can get all the latest headlines online at WJCT News, on our Facebook page, and on Twitter @WJCTJax.
