News

Driver killed in Roosevelt crash identified

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012, 11:28am

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has released the name of a driver killed in a fatal crash Friday near FSCJ's Kent campus.

Miriam Cabezas, 37, was killed when her car was struck by an SUV shortly after 7:15 Friday morning, according to a news release from Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Melissa Bujeda.

Cabezas was the only person in her car as she drove east on Plymouth Street. Plymouth runs perpendicular to Roosevelt Boulevard.

Cabezas followed a school bus, Bujeda said, through the intersection of Plymouth Street and Roosevelt Boulevard. Cabezas was making a left turn to travel northbound on Roosevelt.

As she passed through the intersection, an SUV traveling south on Roosevelt struck her car from the side.

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Mayor: About 20,000 residents without power

Submitted by Bill Bortzfield, First Coast News Digital Director

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012, 8:48am

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - In an 8:30 a.m. Monday update Mayor Alvin Brown said more than 50 JEA crews are out working to restore power around Jacksonville.

Residents can dial 665-6000 to report outages, and Mayor Brown urged residents to call 911 if they see downed power lines.

The mayor said about 20,000 residents were without power in Jacksonville Monday morning.

He also said the Wonderwood and Mathews Bridges remained closed. Garbage pick-up for today has been rescheduled for Saturday.

The mayor stated that he's been in contact with Gov. Rick Scott. The city website reports the following road closures at 8:50 a.m.:

- Riverside Avenue from Copeland to Barrs due to flooding.

- 5744 Salerno Road West due to downed power lines.

- Wilson Blvd. by Firestone Rd. due to a large pole in the middle of the roadway.

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Duval, Baker, Clay, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns schools scheduled to be open today

Submitted by FirstCoastNews Web Staff

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012, 6:23am

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Students throughout the First Coast will return to school today.

Baker, Duval, Clay, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns County schools will be in session, unless conditions worsen throughout the day.

Calls to Bradford, Columbia, and Union County school districts have not been returned.

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Courthouse users worried by its delayed opening

Submitted by Ken Amaro, Ken Amaro, Community Reporter

Friday, May 25th, 2012, 7:22pm

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Weeks before moving from Bay Street, the clerk of courts advised anyone doing business on May 29 at the new courthouse to arrive at least an hour early.

But the grand opening will not happen on Tuesday, May 29 and those who use the courthouse daily are concerned.

Derrick Spencer, president of Off the Chain Bail Bonds, has been sending his clients e-mails about a possible delayed opening and its impact on their cases.

"Our clients need from us to know their court dates and give them a court date if the courthouse is closed," said Spencer, "The scary part is if they miss their court date, then they will get warrants."

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Roosevelt Boulevard back open after fatal crash

Submitted by FirstCoastNews Web Staff

Friday, May 25th, 2012, 9:42am

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A fatal crash closed Roosevelt Boulevard at Plymouth Street for several hours Friday morning.

Police had to divert traffic onto Park Street near Florida State College at Jacksonville's Kent Campus.

The crash happened before 8 a.m. Friday.

A car turning left to go northbound on Roosevelt Boulevard from Plymouth Street was hit by an SUV traveling southbound.

The driver of the SUV has been taken to a local hospital with unknown injuries.

The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene.

Traffic homicide detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office are still investigating.

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Tasers may cause cardiac arrest -- users not deterred

Submitted by Ken Amaro, Ken Amaro, Community Reporter

Thursday, May 24th, 2012, 7:29pm

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- In 2005, when JSO started using tasers, Sheriff John Rutherford endured the blast of a stun gun. The sheriff was trying to show two things: a Taser will immobilize you and it is a non-lethal weapon.

"We are very cautious in everything we do when it comes to response to resistance and our use of force with anything," said Michele Remolde.

Remolde is JSO's Director of Professional Standards. She says her department follows a strict policy for the use of a Taser.

"In looking at this study as well as other studies ... and in looking at our policy it appears we are in good shape," she said.

Remolde says the article by Dr. Douglas Zipe is insufficient.

"If you look at the end of the study, it actually stipulates that they not against Taser use," she said, "they just prefer there are certain rules in using the ECD (Taser)."

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DCPS Workers Raking in Thousands in Overtime

Submitted by Jeff Marcu, Anchor/Investigative Reporter

Monday, May 21st, 2012, 8:49pm

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Local high school athletes Kaitlyn Hamby and Alana Hall live for lacrosse. That's why they could not believe when Duval County Public Schools cut funding for their sport. "I love lacrosse with my whole heart," said Hall.

It wasn't just lacrosse, the district cut numerous sports, music and arts programs. These students knew they had to do something to save their sport. Last summer they started fundraising. "We had a benefit dinner, where we had a silent auction," said high school junior Hamby.

Last year, the district cut nearly $4 million from school programs. Art, music and physical education programs took a $3 million cut, while athletic supplements took a cut of $932,000.

"I was upset, I was very upset because lacrosse is something I need to get into college," added Hamby.

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