Judy Woodruff, the Jacksonville City Council, and state highways are in the headlines today.
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.
Jax homicides hit 2011 high: With seven weeks left in 2013, the number of murders in Jacksonville is the same as it was for all of 2011 and just 18 fewer than for all of 2012. (WJCT)
New group wants more women in city government: PBS NewsHour's Judy Woodruff spoke to the members of a new group yesterday who are hoping a field of female candidates will run for Jacksonville City Council in 2015. (WJCT)
Photo blog on interracial families features Jax residents: Some Jacksonville families have been included as part of an online photo project looking at interracial families and relationships. (WJCT)
Community meeting to examine St. Johns road safety: A St. Augustine-based bicycle advocacy group are set to raise concerns about traffic safety at a public meeting this afternoon. (News4Jax)
Council to consider EverBank improvements, backyard chickens: The Jacksonville City Council will hold a special meeting today at 1 p.m. to consider the authorization of $43 million in city funds to improve EverBank Field. They will meet again in regular session at 5 p.m., when a measure that would allow backyard chickens in the city is on the agenda. (Florida Times-Union, First Coast News)
Wells Fargo Center for sale: The 37-story, 892,000 square-foot Wells Fargo Center has been garnering interest from potential buyers as it hit the real estate market about three weeks ago. (Jacksonville Business Journal)
South Florida vet threatens suicide in three-hour standoff: A 59-year-old Vietnam Veteran threatened to hang himself from the 70-foot drop of an 1-595 entrance ramp yesterday, causing hours of gridlock. (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
State lawmakers hope to raise speed limit to 75: A bill expected to be filed today in Tallahassee would increase the maximum speed limit on state highways to 75-miles-per-hour. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Texting and driving ban arrests low in Southwest FL: Law enforcement in Fort Meyers and Lee County have issued five tickets under the state's new texting while driving ban since it went into effect last month. (The News-Press)
Today on First Coast Connect, Deborah Gianoulis, executive director of the Shultz Center, will discuss and announce a brand new partnership with One Spark.
You can get all the latest headlines online at WJCTNews.org, on our Facebook page, and on Twitter @WJCTJax. You can follow Patrick Donges on Twitter at @patrickhdonges.
