BREAKING: Beaches Secede

Jacksonville Beach, FL — After months of deliberations, Jacksonville Beach leaders agreed to destroy the McCormick Bascule bridge, connecting Jacksonville to Jacksonville Beach, and announced their secession from Duval county.

Citing high taxes and neglect in receiving county services, Jacksonville Beach Mayor Chris Hoffman told reporters "we do not intend to continue being subjected to such abuses. We are now in discussions with Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach to unite and finally form Ocean County."

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan held a press conference Tuesday morning, where she urged Beaches leaders to reconsider:

Deegan: At first you will make headway, but as your limited resources begin to fail, shut out from the markets of Jacksonville as you will be, your cause will begin to wane. If your people will but stop and think, they must see that in the end you will surely fail.

Reporter: How do you intend to respond?

Deegan: Decisively.

As the press conference ended, Mayor Deegan was seen alongside Sheriff T.K. Waters as he rallied deputies for what he described as their "march to the sea."

This is a developing story.