The new Southbank Riverwalk, Jacksonville University and the Downtown Investment Authority 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 before 9 a.m. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 71 degrees. Tonight skies will be mostly clear, with a low around 36 degrees.
At the Beaches it will be sunny, with a high near 69 degrees. Tonight should be clear, with a low around 39 degrees. (National Weather Service)
Downtown Investment Authority first-year budget approved by City Council. The agency will have control over a $2.5 million dollar budget to improve Downtown. Projects include making Downtown more walkable, installing new public art and installing free Wi-Fi hotspots downtown. (WJCT)
Sex offender and girlfriend found camping near Rodman dam. Officials say that Jospeh Tavernia, 41, had removed the ankle monitor he was required to wear while under probation. The son of Betty Herring, Tavernia's 51-year-old girlfriend, contacted police when she went missing. (The Florida Times-Union)
JU invests $27 million to improve Arlington area. A large amount of the money is going towards improvements on the Jacksonville University campus, but some of the money is also going to improving lighting, transit shelters and sidewalks. (News4Jax)
State Attorney's Office ordered to pay attorney fees in public-records lawsuit. Curtis Lee sued the State Attorney's Office when it refused to turn over documents in a timely manner or at all in some cases. The judge in that case agreed with Lee. Circuit Judge James Daniels ordered Wednesday that the State Attorney's Office had to pay the attorney's fees for Lee. (The Florida Times-Union)
City Councilman notice safety problems with new Southbank Riverwalk. Councilman Don Redman is concerned that the sections of the new Riverwalk are not wide enough to allow pedestrian and cycling traffic to flow back and forth. (News4Jax)
Today on First Coast Connect, Brooke Stephens, author of "Men We Cherish: African-American Women Praise the Men in their Lives," joins Melissa Ross to discuss the image of African-American men in America. Then Rethreaded previews the upcoming Mukti Celebration Fundraiser. The Capitol Steps joins the show to talk about their performances at the Wilson Center for the Arts, and Kerry Speckman covers all of the other events happening Around Town.
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.
