Sheriff John Rutherford, Florida Senator Joe Negron, and Aaron Hernandez 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.
Sheriff Rutherford outlines budget ideas: Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford told city lawmakers he is looking for funds to rehire 80 officers that were cut last year and build a homeless shelter. (News4Jax)
Immigrant tuition bill stalled in committee: An effort to grant in-state tuition to some undocumented immigrant students appeared dead Thursday, as Senate Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron announced his committee would not hear the bill next week. (The News Service of Florida)
Northrop Grumman to expand in St. Augustine: Northrop Grumman Corp.’s new 400,000-square-foot facility in St. Augustine will add 400 jobs and more than $100 million in capital investment. (Jacksonville Business Journal)
Man shot dead on Jax Northside: The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office found a man dead in the road in the 7o00 block of Bruce Street just before midnight after a report of shots fired. (First Coast News)
Best Buy bathroom attacker declared unfit for trial: James Patrick Tadros, accused of attacking a 9-year-old girl in a Jacksonville Best Buy bathroom, has been ordered committed to Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee. (Florida Times-Union)
Lionfish ban given preliminary approval: A ban on the import of lionfish into Florida has been given preliminary approval from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (CBS Miami)
Pro-marijuana advocates mobilize for referendum campaigning: With fewer than seven months left before election day, advocates pushing for approval of the statewide referendum on medical marijuana are mobilizing to campaign across the state. (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida man indicted on federal charges linked to Aaron Hernandez case: An associate of former University of Florida star football player and murder suspect Aaron Hernandez will face federal charges in Florida in connection with a gun trafficking investigation stemming from weapons seized during the Hernandez investigation. (Hartford Courant)
Today on First Coast Connect, we'll kick things off with our Friday local media roundtable.
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.
