Sushi is coming back to the Jacksonville Landing.
Lanna Thai Sushi will take the second floor, 4,038-square-foot space that formerly housed Koja Sushi. The latter closed in 2014.
Lanna Thai is the sister restaurant of Tamarind Thai, which opened in Riverside this year in the former Zoë’s Kitchen storefront. Chad Rattanachomphoo, Lanna Thai owner, said in a news release the Landing was picked for another location because it’s “an icon of the city.”
Interior renovations are expected to take two months, with plans including the addition of decorative woodwork on the walls and a remodeled bar and sushi station.
It’s expected to open Sept. 1.
Landing owner Toney Sleiman said the lease was for five years.
Jacksonville Suns join Dear Orlando postcard campaign
The Jacksonville Suns joined the city’s Dear Orlando campaign to give residents the chance to send messages of hope and support to Orlando citizens.
The Dear Orlando postcards available at the 21 public libraries in Jacksonville are now available on the concourse of the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville at each Suns home game through July 30.
The postcards will then be sent to Orlando. The Suns begin their second-half home schedule at 12:05 p.m. Wednesday.
Rood appointed to Florida Prepared College Board
Vestcor Cos. Chairman John Rood has been appointed to the Florida Prepared College Board by Gov. Rick Scott.
Rood previously served as U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, a member of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and on the board of governors for the State University System.
He stepped down from the Jacksonville Port Authority board of directors to accept the state appointment.
The college board manages the Stanley G. Tate Prepaid College Program and Florida 529 Savings Plan. It also establishes policy and oversees the financial performance of the programs.
His term ends June 30, 2017.
Alhambra chef wins TV cooking competition
DeJuan Roy, the executive chef of the Alhambra Theatre & Dining, was recently front and center for a different kind of show.
He was a contestant on the Food Network’s “Guy Fieri’s Grocery Games,” a cooking competition inside a mock grocery store.
Competitors are thrown challenges in the midst of the show, increasing the difficulty.
Roy won the competition after making it to the final round against a corporate chef from Boston. Both were tasked with creating a Father’s Day dinner. The Boston chef was given duck breast. Roy received a canned ham, which he deep fried and covered in a Dijon mustard glaze.
He won $16,000 for the effort.
Civil Council, JAX Chamber support 'Yes for Jacksonville'
The Jacksonville Civic Council and JAX Chamber are on board with voters Aug. 30 approving a sales-tax extension to pay down the city’s pension debt.
On Monday, the Civic Council announced its endorsement of “Yes for Jacksonville,” Mayor Lenny Curry’s campaign to sway voters to approve the up-to 30-year extension of the existing half-cent sales tax.
Without the dedicated funding source, which would go into effect in 2030, the city’s annual required contribution toward pensions would continue to increase, the organization said in a news release.
The city’s unfunded liability toward its pension plans is about $2.8 billion.
Additionally, the Civic Council said the Curry proposal closes expensive defined benefit plans and “more fairly balances employee and city contributions” toward retirement.
On Tuesday, the chamber sent out a release encouraging its 3,000 members to back the mayor’s plan.
The chamber board in January unanimously voted to support the plan, then went to Tallahassee to show support for the cause to state legislators.
Easton buys four Westside warehouses for $2.2M
A group led by Sam Easton, president of the Easton, Sanderson & Co. real estate company, bought four West Jacksonville warehouses Friday for $2.2 million.
His 6721 Stuart Avenue L.L.C. acquired the four-building property, totaling 115,000 square feet, from 3601 Corp. Ameris Bank issued a $1.76 million mortgage.
Monte Merritt, senior director of the Franklin Street real estate company, listed the company on behalf of the seller.
Two buildings were built in 1974 and two others in 1989, property records show. They recently were renovated and were fully leased when sold.
JTA extending services this holiday weekend
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority will expand its Skyway and trolley services for Downtown and the Beaches, respectively, for the holiday weekend.
The free Skyway system will be available from 5 p.m.-midnight Monday, with free parking in the lots around the Prime Osborn Convention Center Skyway station. Paid parking is available at the Kings Avenue garage.
The Beaches Trolley will operate at a 20-minute frequency along Third Street from the South Beach Parkway Shopping Center to Atlantic Boulevard.
The schedule is 7 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-2:30 a.m. Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday; and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday.
A single-day pass is $4 or a one-ride ticket is $1.50. Seniors 65 and older with a STAR card receive free rides.
Additionally, JTA buses will operate a Sunday schedule Monday but administrative offices and the call center will be closed. The Rosa Parks Transit Station will be open 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
For information, visit jtafla.com or call (904) 630-3100.
Free financial protection workshops this week
The state Department of Financial Services and local law enforcement agencies are hosting a series of financial safety workshops in Jacksonville.
The “Be Scam Smart” workshops will teach seniors, their families and caregivers how to spot a scam, how fraudulent offers work and steps for protection.
The series began Tuesday and continues today from 10:30 a.m.-noon at the Leroy Clemmons Senior Center, 55 Jackson Ave. N. The last workshop will be 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday at the Hammond Senior Center, 3312 W. 12th St.
The series is part of state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater’s On Guard for Seniors initiative launched in 2012 delving into topics like annuities, identity theft, reverse mortgages and long-term care insurance. Operation S.A.F.E. — Stop Adult Financial Exploitation — focuses on fraud like fake lotteries and repair scams.
To register, visit myfloridacfo.com/safe or contact the Division of Consumer Services at 1-877-693-5236.
Presson named president of Associa CMC-Jacksonville
Community Management Concepts of Jacksonville, an Associa company, has named Jennifer Presson as president.
She most recently served as vice president of operations. The promotion means she will provide leadership and oversight, building community relationships and focus on strategic planning for the company.
Presson joined the firm seven years ago, spending the previous 30 years in the property management industry, managing a portfolio of residential and commercial condominiums and homeowners’ associations.
FSCJ has open house for GED test prep course
Florida State College at Jacksonville will host an open house dedicated to helping adults prepare for the GED test.
The event is 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday at the college’s South Campus, 11901 Beach Blvd., Room U-135A.
The session will provide prospective students a chance to enroll in an upcoming semester to prepare for the test, which comprises reasoning through language arts, science, social studies and math. Several courses are being offered during the day, evening and weekend for preparation.
For more information on the open house, call Judy McCray at (904) 616-2377.