Applications are being accepted for speakers and musical performers for the sixth annual TEDxJacksonville conference on Oct. 14.
The event will return to the Florida Theatre for the second consecutive year.
The conferences have sold out each of the first five years, including last year’s, which sold out in 12 days, according to a news release.
“Every year, we receive incredible applications for our conference, and we expect 2017 won’t be any different,” said TEDxJacksonville Executive Producer Sabeen Perwaiz.
For details on how to apply, visit TEDxJacksonville.com and select the “apply” button.
The year’s first TEDxJacksonville event is 5-8:30 p.m. April 5 at Jacksonville University’s Terry Concert Hall.
The “Water: Duval’s Untapped Resource” salon will feature:
• City Council President Lori Boyer, who has led water activation discussions at City Hall
• Holland & Knight attorney Daniel Bean, who is president of the Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association
• Alyssa Bourgoyne, interim executive director for Groundwork Jacksonville
• Chris Fischer, founder of Ocearch and explorer in residence at JU where Ocearch is based
• Downtown Investment Authority CEO Aundra Wallace
The panel will be moderated by Jeanmarie Grimsley, a member of TEDxJacksonville’s volunteer team.
Tickets are $12, which includes light refreshments. They are available at bit.ly/TEDxWater.
Crowley adding weekly trips from Jacksonville to Panama
Crowley Maritime Corp. added a weekly sailing connecting Jacksonville and Port Everglades more directly with Manzanillo, Panama.
According to a news release, the sailing complements a new Crowley office in Panama that combines the company’s ocean cargo and logistics personnel to provide a streamlined service.
Two Crowley container ships alternate carrying cargo from Jacksonville on Thursdays and Port Everglades on Fridays, which arrive in Jamaica on Saturday, Costa Rica on Tuesday and Panama the following Thursday.
The ships return to Port Everglades and Jacksonville on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
“Panama is a major distribution center for shipments arriving from a variety of places, especially China,” Claudia Kattan-Jordan, vice president, liner services, Central America, said in the release. “This strategic location will facilitate the company’s cross-trade/interport services to other locations throughout the Caribbean.”
Nine retiring from symphony
Nine musicians with the Jacksonville Symphony who have spent a total of 356 years with the orchestra will retire at the end of the season. They are Lela LaBarbera, violin; Lois Gosa, violin, Philip Pan, concertmaster; Merryn Corsat, principal viola; Claudia Minch, oboe and English horn; Glynda Newton, violin; Deborah Heller, flute and piccolo; Jeanne Majors, violin; and Peter Wright, principal clarinet. Auditions for all positions except concertmaster will be conducted over the summer. Concertmaster auditions will be held throughout the 2017-18 season and include performances with the symphony.
First Jax Books Fest attracts 150 authors and illustrators
The inaugural Jax Books Fest coming to the Main Library on March 25 has been called “The Literary Event of the Year” for 150 good reasons, according to a news release.
The library has recruited more than 150 local and national authors and illustrators in a mix of genres for all ages. The event is 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Main Library Downtown.
Among the guests are New York Times best-selling authors Maggie Stiefvator, Brenda Jackson and David Catrow.
Florida Times-Union columnist Mark Woods, who wrote “Lassoing the Sun,” and 7-year-old author Natalie McGriff also will be there.
San Marco Books and More will set up a book store at the library and will sell participating authors’ books, as well as the official Jax Book Fest poster and other literary items.
A portion of proceeds will go to the library.
A full schedule is available at jaxbookfest.org.
Pond acquires Jacksonville firm
Jacksonville-based Landmark Engineering was acquired by Pond, an international firm headquartered in Peachtree Corners, Ga.
The transaction strengthens several areas for Pond, including transportation design, traffic engineering, intelligent transportation systems and environmental permitting, according to a news release.
It also gives Pond three offices in Florida and expanded resources to service both companies’ Southeast clients, the release said.
Nina Sickler, the founder and president of Landmark, will lead Pond’s Florida operations.
“She and her team bring decades of high quality and innovative experience in bridge, structural and transportation design,” said Ron Osterloh, vice president, transportation and community development for Pond.
Gaffigan comedy tour making December stop in Jacksonville
Comedian Jim Gaffigan’s Noble Ape tour will make a Dec. 30 stop at Veterans Memorial Arena.
He is a Grammy-nominated comedian and a New York Times best-selling author, in addition to being the star of “The Jim Gaffigan Show,” whose second season premieres this summer on TV Land.
Gaffigan currently is on his Contagious world tour, which headlined Madison Square Garden in December. He is one of only 10 comics to sell out the Garden, according to a news release.
Last fall, he performed for Pope Francis and more than 1 million attendees at the Festival of Families in Philadelphia.
Tickets for the show are $48.25-$82.25 and are available at ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3900.