Gyms at seven local schools open in a few weeks, and a program at Edward Waters College provides education and encouragement to young men, both in an effort to keep teens deemed at-risk off the streets and find success. A report from the City of Jacksonville’s General Counsel finds that Jacksonville has the largest percentage of LGBT citizens of any city in Florida, but has nothing in law protecting them from discrimination.
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.
‘Summer Safe Gyms’ Opening In July
Seven middle and high school gymnasiums in Duval County will be open to kids starting the second week of July as part of the district’s effort to keep young people out of trouble when they’re not in school.
Duval County School Board Developing New Tool To Evaluate Superintendent
Tuesday, the board reviewed a draft of the new Superintendent Performance Assessment. It includes five core beliefs Vitti will be graded on, including student performance and effective communication.
At-Risk Teens Find Success In Explorers Program
This summer, middle and high-school teen boys who are considered at-risk are filling dorms and desks at Jacksonville’s Edward Waters College participating in the Black Male College Explorers, a program designed to challenge and prepare young men to succeed in high school, college and eventually in a career.
Report: Jacksonville Has Highest Percentage Of LGBT Residents In Florida, No Protections
According to the report released Tuesday by the Jacksonville Office of General Counsel Jacksonville has the highest percentage of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents of any metropolitan area in the state of Florida, yet is one of the few large cities in the nation with no anti-discrimination ordinance to protect them.
Supreme Court Signs Off On Lethal-Injection Protocol
A sharply-divided U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a challenge to the lethal-injection protocol used in Oklahoma and other states, opening the door for executions to resume in Florida.
Asked To Divide Zero By Zero, Siri Waxes Philosophical (And Personal)
The Internet is abuzz about the latest Easter egg found in Apple's Siri, as the virtual assistant gives a philosophical — and, to some, a personal — response to the question "What is zero divided by zero?"
Communities Get A Lift As Local Food Sales Surge To $11 Billion A Year
The USDA estimates that local food sales — from food hubs to farm-to-school programs to initiatives to expand healthy food access to low-income communities — have contributed to the explosion in sales in local food grown, from about $5 billion in 2008 to $11.7 billion in 2014.
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