• The National Multiple Sclerosis Society North Florida Chapter has inducted its new board members. They are Russel Grice, chairman; Brian Franco, vice chairman; Bill Vogel, treasurer/finance co-chairman; Carole Ann Steiger, secretary; Paul McCormick, public relations, and Aimee Boggs, board development. Other board members are H. Andy Burke, Doris Carson, Julia Edmonston, Jane Estes, Jane Ford, Richard Gunnels, Sam Kouvaris, Barbara Moulding, Walt Pfeil, Tim Pike, Jim Pearson, Elizabeth Shuster, Jeremy Smith, Nancy Snyder, Robert Taylor, Mark Usdin, Martin Wander and Donnie Wanstall.
• The FCCJ Downtown Campus is sponsoring Trades and Industry Career Night Thursday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the main auditorium. Training programs include automotive technology, welding, construction trades, network cablings and aviation. For information, call 646-2300.
• The Museum of Science & History has three new planetarium programs for the holiday season: “Star of Wonder” traces the journey of the Magi while exploring possible astronomical explanations of the Star of Bethlehem; “The Alien Who Stole Christmas” tells the traditional tale of “The Night Before Christmas” from a science fiction point of view, and “Holiday Skies” takes visitors on a tour of the current night sky to observe constellations and planets that are visible in the Northeast Florida sky. The programs run through Jan. 11. For show times, call 396-7062.
• Mayor John Delaney will break ground on the new sports and entertainment arena Tuesday at 11 a.m.
• Famed American organist John Obetz is scheduled to open the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra organ recital series Dec. 2 at the T-U Center. The series features four of the nation’s leading artists on the Jacoby Hall pipe organ. Widely known for his long-standing radio broadcast “The Auditorium Organ,” Obetz was one of the early advisors for the installation of the organ. For his program, Obetz has planned works by Reger, Mendelssohn and Bach, plus a couple of noels and carols for the holidays.
• Tricia L. Ridgway-Kapustka, director of communications for HealthScreen America, has been named state president of the Florida Public Relations Association. She is past president of the Jacksonville chapter of FPRA and was honored as one of Eckerd’s 100 Women for community service in 1999.