A City Council committee comes one step closer to resolving the quagmire of the Jacksonville Fire and Police Pension Fund, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti asks City Council for funds to support programs to prevent a “powder keg” from going off this summer and threats of gang violence on social media are concerning parents at First Coast High School.
Welcome to WJCT First Read, your daily weekday morning round-up of stories from the First Coast, around Florida, and across the country.
Here are 7 stories you might have missed.
City Council Committee Passes Pension Reform Plan
Rules Committee President Gulliford says the City Council has three options. He says the right decision is the preferable option, but even the wrong decision is better than making no decision at all.
Vitti: Summer Programs Need More Funding To Keep Students Out Of Gangs
Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told City Council that Jacksonville is "sitting on a powder keg."
Rumors Fly About Threats At First Coast High
Social media posts indicate there will be a gang-initiation shooting at the school this week. Last week, Duval County Superintendent Nikolai Vitti sent robo-calls to parents' phones that there would be additional police presence, possible searches and other security measures.
Animal Rights Group Protesting Morocco Shrine Circus In Jacksonville
Compassion Works International Creative Director Adam Sugalski said, “In the show they don’t actually hit the tigers per say." He said, “They’re cracking the whip close. But behind the scenes those tigers are being hit by the whip, and they’re kept in cages.”
Advance Disposal Offering Free Flag Retiring, Recycling Program
Advanced Disposal is offering a free service to properly dispose of old, torn or faded American flags at its seven Northeast Florida sites.
'More Realistic' TV, Phone Tax Cuts Expected
Floridians could still get a reduction in their cable-TV and cell-phone bills as part of a new House tax-cut package, but the overall plan likely will fall short of the tax cuts sought by Gov. Rick Scott.
Two Arrested In Theft Of Police Equipment
Christopher Dollison, 26 and Jazmine Jarvis, 18 were taken into custody without incident. They are suspected of stealing equipment and a city car from a task force office on the Northside.
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