City Notes
03/19/2010
• Bring your boats downtown Palm Sunday to be blessed for good weather and safe conditions. Mayor John Peyton, the City and the Captains’ Club present the 26th annual Blessing of the Fleet at 2 p.m. March 28 on the Northbank of the St. Johns River. The Main Street Bridge will be closed from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The blessing will be delivered from the Hogan Street gazebo near the Landing.
• National Small Business Week is May 23-25 and a Jacksonville Port Authority official will receive recognition. Joanne Kazmierski, port manager of community outreach and environmental advocacy, will be honored as “Minority Small Business Champion of the Year” by the Small Business Administration’s North Florida District Office.
• The local North Florida chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is being merged with the Central Florida Chapter effectively immediately. The Jacksonville office will report to the merged North and Central Florida Chapter’s new executive director. Local Executive Director Jill Tager will stay through April 2 to help with the transition and hopes to remain in Jacksonville.
• Ava Barrett has been appointed administrative supervisor for the Jacksonville Public Library. She was previously principal librarian and regional manager for the Lee County public library system. Before that, she was assistant director of Broward County’s African American Research Library.
• The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville’s 34th Annual Arts Awards Luncheon is at noon April 20 on the stage of the Moran Theater at the Times-Union Center. This year’s keynote speaker is Rob Gibson, executive and artistic director of the Savannah Music Festival. For information, visit www.ExperienceJax.com or call 358-3600.
• Clay Tousey III, an attorney with Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball, has an idea he thinks would help Downtown and make use of the Laura Trio. Tousey, who worked one summer for former Mayor John Delaney, would like to see the buildings turned into an “arts dorm” for art majors at the University of North Florida, which now operates MOCA. Tousey said a similar concept has worked in Charlotte, where he practiced law for three years.
• This year’s media day for The Players Championship is next Friday, but it’s at Naval Station Mayport instead of the Stadium Course. The event involves a special announcement about this year’s tournament and media who attend will receive a certificate to play the Stadium Course.
