The Duval County School Board passes a new code of conduct which includes new permission for students to defend themselves if attacked by another student. An award has been offered for information leading to an arrest in the shooting of a Riverside man. Mobile phone service went down across the southeast, and regulators are not sure why.
It’s Thursday, August 6, 2015. Welcome to WJCT First Read, your daily weekday morning round-up of stories from the First Coast, around Florida and across the country. Subscribe to WJCT First Read to get the most important stories from WJCT News and NPR and breaking news when it happens delivered straight to your inbox every weekday morning!
Here are 9 stories you might have missed.
Duval County OKs ‘Self Defense,’ But Not Fighting Back, In School
Among the changes in next year’s Code of Conduct is how students are allowed to react when fights break out at school. The code defines “self defense” as blocking or shielding yourself from an attack, but not necessarily fighting back.
Jacksonville Cultural Council Offering Grants For Artists, Nonprofits
The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville is accepting applications from artists and nonprofit organizations for grants up to $30,000. The deadline to apply for the program is tonight, Thursday, August 6 at midnight.
Reward Offered For Information In Riverside Killing
On Wednesday, July 22, at around 10 p.m., Daniel Rowe was taking out the trash behind the Blind Rabbit restaurant on King Street when it’s believed two men approached him, took his wallet at gunpoint and shot him. A reward of $7,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case.
Florida Charter Schools Say They Need More Building, Maintenance Funding
The state of Florida now has nearly 700 charter schools across the state, but a major charter school proponent says the schools are struggling to sustain themselves.
Bill Refiled In Florida Legislature Making It Easier To Track Missing People With Special Needs
A Florida lawmaker has refiled a measure making it easier for law enforcement to track missing people with special needs.
Cellphone Service Down For Thousands, But Regulators May Never Know Why
Tens of thousands of people in the southeastern U.S. went without cellphone service Tuesday for about five hours. For some, that even meant they couldn't call 911. It's not exactly clear what caused the incident.
An Almost-Final Word On The IRS's Alleged Tea Party Targeting
In what may be a perhaps-almost-final word on the 2013 IRS controversy and alleged targeting of Tea Party groups, a two-year bipartisan Senate investigation found the agency needs to cut through bureaucratic red tape and institute better communication and management. But members of the Senate Finance Committee, which issued the report, were largely split along party lines on the question of why the IRS went off the rails.
Fact Check: How Does Planned Parenthood Spend That Government Money?
Jeb Bush's recent comments raise questions about just how much money Planned Parenthood actually gets, what the group does with it, and whether defunding it would actually save taxpayers money — here's what you need to know about where that money comes from and where it goes.
The Newseum Will Acquire Set Of 'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart'
The Newseum in Washington, D.C., has announced that it will acquire the set of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart after the host's last episode airs on Aug. 6. The museum devoted to the news says the set will be available for future display.
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