Most city government offices and facilities will be closed Friday in observance of the Independence Day holiday on Saturday. Closures include:
• City Hall, 117 W. Duval St.
• Ed Ball Building, 214 N. Hogan St.
• Jake M. Godbold City Hall Annex, 407 N. Laura St.
• Yates Building, 231 E. Forsyth St.
• Duval County Courthouse, 501 W. Adams St.
• Animal Care and Protective Services, 2020 Forest St.
• The Ritz Theatre & Museum, 829 N. Davis St.
• All Jacksonville Public Library branches
Additionally, residential garbage, yard waste and recycling will be collected as usual Friday, but appliances will not be collected. Trail Ridge Landfill, 5110 U.S. 301, will maintain normal operating houses.
Burr named FSU board chair
The Florida State University board of trustees unanimously elected Ed Burr as its chairman last week.
Burr, president and CEO of Jacksonville-based GreenPointe Holdings, has served as a trustee since 2011 and was Academic Affairs Committee chair during the past year.
He succeeds Allan Bense, who began as chairman in 2012.
The board also re-elected Leslie “Les” Pentin as vice chairman.
The 13-member board comprises six trustees appointed by the governor and five by the Florida Board of Governors. Additionally, one is the president of the university’s Faculty Senate and the other is the student body president.
Day named in honor of Glover
Tuesday was “Nat Glover Day” in Jacksonville, a distinction provided by outgoing Mayor Alvin Brown to honor the Edward Waters College president and former sheriff.
In conjunction with the proclamation, Brown awarded Glover with a key to the city.
Glover is a 1966 graduate of EWC and was the first African-American sheriff in Florida in more than 100 years. He served two terms until his retirement in 2003.
He was permanently appointed EWC president in 2011 after serving as interim.
Astronaut Thagard to be honored
Community Health Outreach will commemorate the 20th anniversary of former NASA astronaut and Norm Thagard’s return from the Russian Mir 18 mission on July 7, 1995.
Thagard’s first public appearance after that flight was in Jacksonville, where he resided. A graduate of what was then known as Paxon High School, the road in front of Paxon School for Advanced Studies bears his name.
The events honoring Thagard will be part of a fundraising effort for Healing Hands Clinic, opened by Community Health Outreach. The free dental clinic provides aid for nearly 200,000 qualified low-income adults in Duval County.
Thagard is a member of the Astronaut Hall of Fame and is a dean at Florida State University.
The event is noon-2 p.m. Tuesday at the Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Airport, 14670 Duval Road.
There also will be an evening reception to celebrate the anniversary from 7:30-10:30 Downtown at the Museum of Science and History.
For more information, visit chojax.org.
Ingram to lead ULI North Florida
ULI North Florida announced that Jacksonville real estate attorney Thomas Ingram has been appointed chairman of the organization for a two-year term. It begins today.
Ingram will oversee the North Florida District Council and its more than 400 members. He replaces Margaret Jennessee, GreenPointe Homes chief operating officer, who is finishing her two-year term.
Ingram is of counsel with the Akerman firm and recently served on ULI’s Management Committee. He also was Programs Committee chairman for 2013.
The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its goal is to provide leadership in responsible land use.
For more information, visit uli.org or northflorida.uli.org.
JTA providing 4th of July options
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority will provide Skyway and trolley services for the Independence Day celebrations along the St. Johns River and Beaches.
Skyway rides will be free from 5 p.m.-midnight, with free parking in JTA lot around the Convention Center Skyway Station and paid parking in the Kings Avenue Garage (credit card only).
The Riverside Avondale Night Trolley will stop at an additional location near the Riverside Arts Market for a special fireworks viewing party. The service regularly operates the first Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m.- 2 a.m.
Further east at the Beaches, the Beaches Trolley will operate its usual Friday-Sunday schedule and route. Trolley trips are $1.50 each way and require exact change. JTA also offers one-day passes for $4 and three-day passes for $10. They can be purchased at area Walgreens stores.
For more information, visit jtafla.com.