Monday on First Coast Connect we spoke with former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ken Jefferson on law enforcement’s role in the Parkland school shooting (01:14).
We discussed America Saves Week with Jax Federal Credit Union Chief Operating Officer Mary Svoboda (30:56).
We learned about the upcoming Jacksonville Science Festival with organizers Tia Unthank and Nadia Hionides and Eddie Whisler with the Museum of Science and History (38:54).
Cole Pepper talked about the latest sports news, including the Jaguars signing a contract extension with quarterback Blake Bortles (46:00).
Ken Jefferson
Growing outrage over the way police handled a deadly school shooting in South Florida came to a head over the weekend.
Republican legislators in the state called on Sunday for the suspension of Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, accusing him of “incompetence and neglect of duty” in the months before the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 people.
Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran and 73 Republican colleagues have urged Governor Rick Scott to suspend Israel, a Democrat who was reelected in 2016 and has said he would not resign over his agency’s handling of one of the country’s deadliest school shootings.
America Saves Week
Millions of Americans are struggling with debt and not saving enough. Less than half of Americans have enough money in savings to cover a $1,000 emergency.
A full one-third have no retirement savings at all. That’s troubling, because a secure retirement is created from a lifetime of planning and saving.
Each year the American Savings Education Council and America Saves coordinate America Saves Week. The week is an opportunity for organizations to promote good savings behavior and a chance for individuals to assess their own saving status.
Jacksonville Science Festival
It’s a celebration of science this week in Jacksonville. The fourth annual Jacksonville Science Festival is a free, three-day community event promoting STEAM education. That’s science, technology, engineering, art and math.
The festival is being held at Friendship Fountain and the FSCJ south campus.
Cole Pepper
Jaguars Quarterback Blake Bortles has been signed to a three-year $54 million contract extension by the team. That keeps him in Jacksonville through 2020, and practically takes the Jaguars out of the quarterback market – for now.
The Atlantic Sun basketball tournament begins Monday night as Jacksonville University hosts Kennesaw State and UNF is at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
On Tuesday UNF baseball hosts the top ranked Florida Gators.
Kevin Meerschaert can be reached at kmeerschaert@wjct.org, 904-358-6334 or on Twitter at @KMeerschaertJax.
