Hemming Park, Catty Shack Ranch, and The Flats at UNF are all 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.
Today's Weather
In Jacksonville there will be patchy fog and a chance of drizzle until 9 a.m. The rest of the day looks mostly cloudy, with a high near 70 degrees. Tonight should be mostly cloudy and the low will be around 55 degrees.
At the Beaches there's a 20 percent chance of rain today. Skies will be mostly cloudy, and the high will be near 66 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low near 55 degrees. (National Weather Service)
Jacksonville's Hemming Park opening outdoor cafe
Starting next week the downtown park will host food trucks, restaurants and caterers making it a lunchtime destination for workers. The tables at the cafe will have heaters, misters and umbrellas to make the outdoor dining comfortable for guests. (The Florida Times-Union)
Federal Judge ordered response from the state of Florida on same-sex marriage
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle, sent a four-page order demanding the secretary of the Florida Department of Management Services "explicitly set out the secretary's position" on whether his ruling in August that the state's gay marriage ban was unconstitutional applies to all clerks of courts in the state of Florida. The state on whose ruling is set to expire on January 5, and gay-marriage supporters are arguing that same-sex couples should be allowed to get married after that date; clerks of court around the state however are arguing that Hinkles ruling only applies to Washington County. (WJCT)
Minimum wage in Florida rising to $8.05 in 2015
A constitutional amendment in 2004 requires the minimum wage to be raised every year according to the rate of inflation. The 12 cent increase is not expected to have an impact on businesses. (News4Jax)
Thanks, but no more Christmas trees this year, says Catty Shack Ranch
The wildlife sanctuary in the Jamestown neighborhood on Jacksonville's Northside that cares for big cats like Lions, Tigers, and Cougars accepts donated Christmas trees. The cats enjoy playing with them and using them as scratching posts. However, Catty Shack Ranch has received so many Christmas trees, that it has had to turn down hundreds. (WJCT)
Police on the look out for attacker who stabbed nightclub patrons
Saturday night a man described as a thin, white male, approximately 150 pounds and 5 foot 9 inches tall, stabbed four several people outside Club TSI on Bay Street downtown late Saturday night. (News4Jax)
UNF on alert after burglaries at student housing
A burglar broke into several student apartments at The Flats, a nearby student housing complex, by climbing into a window. One student awoke when the suspect broke into her bedroom. The suspect fled the scene when she screamed. (First Coast News)
You can get all the latest headlines online at WJCTNews.org, on our Facebook page, and on Twitter @WJCTJax. You can follow Ray Hollister on Twitter @RayHollister.
