There is space available for boaters to be in the 30th Annual Community First Jacksonville Light Boat Parade.
The Thanksgiving weekend tradition is 7 p.m. Nov. 29. It is free for participants — from canoes to kayaks and sailboats to houseboats.
Participants will receive a customized boat tote and burgee boat flag; an invitation to a captains’ meeting at the Omni Hotel Jacksonville; and a Dec. 2 awards party at the Wyndham Jacksonville Riverfront.
Categories include best overall, private boats over and under 30 feet, best sailboat and best commercial or corporate club.
Deadline for registration is Friday. For more information, visit jacksonvillelightboatparade.com.
Free digital rentals of movies, TV shows, books and music at libraries
Jacksonville Public Library customers can now borrow free digital movies, TV shows, audiobooks and music with their library cards anytime, with no holds or late fees.
The service is offered through Hoopla Digital and is available through mobile devices, tablets and computers. Mobile users can temporarily download content for usage later, while computer viewing is limited to streaming.
“We are excited to be able to offer our customers the most current library technology available,” library Director Barbara Gubbin said. “With this Hoopla launch, we are moving access to information into the future and opening up a whole new world for our customers, a world that offers instant access to information, all with a hand-held device or computer, and all with only a valid library card.”
Hoopla is designed specifically for libraries and provided by Midwest Tapes, which has provided library services for more than 20 years.
Movies and television shows are loaned for three days, music for seven days and audiobooks for 21 days. Customers can access them any time during the checkout period and are allowed 10 checkouts per month.
The library has 200,000 titles available. Customers can download the app from the App store or Google Play. For more information, visit hoopladigital.com.
Orange Park Medical Center reaches milestone
Orange Park Medical Center has turned 40.
The hospital celebrated the occasion Tuesday, 40 years after it accepted its first patient. In 1974, it was called Greater Orange Park Community Hospital and was a 196-bed facility built by Humana. After being acquired by HCA years later, it changed names and grew.
In the past several years there have been infrastructure initiatives, including the Open Heart Surgical Suites (2014), emergency room expansion (2011), North Patient Tower expansion (2012), two-story atrium lobby (2014) and Pediatric ER waiting area and ER rooms (2014).
“While we knew this community would have a growing need for health care over the decades to come, we could never have imagined the impact Orange Park would have on the community, nor the size to which it has grown,” said Dr. Raleigh Thomspon, one of the center’s founding fathers.
Scheu receives foundation’s award for civic engagement
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida honored attorney and civic leader Bill Scheu with its Prize for Civic Engagement. The honor was given to Scheu at the organization’s 50th anniversary celebration.
The award was created in 2006 to recognize Northeast Florida citizens who speak out for the common good on matters of civic importance. The only other recipient for the award was Bill Brinton, who won in 2007.
The award includes a bronze statue created by local sculptor Derby Alloa and a check for $10,000 from the foundation’s unrestricted funds.
Scheu most recently has been in the spotlight for his role in leading the Jacksonville Retirement Reform Task Force.
“Bill Scheu embodies all the aspects that this prize was originally created for — he stands resolutely for ‘civic virtue against public indifference or the winds of uninformed public opinion or private interest,’” Brinton said in a news release. “He has earned his rock-solid reputation as a consensus builder and a man of unquestionable integrity, and has patiently guided countless conversations with thoughtful candor to advance the public good.”
AARP looking for volunteers for tax season
Opportunities are available for participants with computer skills to be trained as a tax counselor. Those who aren’t great with computers can be greeters. Training programs begin in January. To sign up, visit aarp.org/tavolunteer8.
Barrs joins CenterState Bank
Julian “Wally” Barrs Jr. has joined CenterState Bank as vice president of commercial lending for the Jacksonville market.
He brings more than two decades of experience in commercial banking, mortgage loan consultation and business banking to the company. He received his bachelor’s in business administration from the University of North Florida.
Armada to host business kick-off event
The Jacksonville Armada FC will host its first Armada Business Alliance Kick-Off Event from 5:30-7 p.m. tonight in the second floor auditorium of the Wells Fargo Building.
Keynote speaker Daniel Davis, JAX Chamber president, will talk about the importance of sports to Jacksonville and the impact the business community has by supporting local teams.
The alliance is a network of professionals who are passionate about the city and are seeking special access to soccer experiences. The goal is to launch similar alliances across the North American Soccer League to grow those partnerships nationally.
Tonight’s event is free and open to the public. Another free event will be held in January. After that, events will be monthly and open to members only.
For information, visit armadafc.com.
Deck the Chairs at the Beaches
The second annual Deck the Chairs Beaches Winter Lights Festival kicks off Nov. 28 in downtown Jacksonville Beach.
The display has 36 decorated lifeguard chairs, including six large metal light sculptures on display for the month. It’s sponsored through public and private efforts.
New this year will be a 24-foot tall tree with 80 custom ornaments, along with a fabricated beach shorebreak on top.
Chair decorating begins at 8 a.m. Nov. 28 and continues through Nov. 29. On Nov. 30, there will be a ceremony from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to turn on the lights.
For more information, visit deckthechairs.org.
Crowley Maritime awarded second contract for LNG
Jacksonville-based Crowley Maritime Corp.’s liquefied natural gas services group has been awarded a second multiyear contract to supply containerized, U.S.-sourced LNG to a major pharmaceutical company’s manufacturing plant in Puerto Rico. It will be managed by Crowley’s domestic logistics team.
Last year, it entered the LNG market by acquiring Florida-based Carib Energy.
Executed through Crowley’s Carib Energy subsidiary, it includes fuel supply and transportation.