• City workers who park in the west courthouse and Trolley lots are being told to leave work early Friday. The City wants their cars gone by 4 p.m. to clear parking space for the Jags’ first preseason home game against the Miami Dolphins. The employees are being instructed to arrive earlier, take shorter lunch breaks or use leave time to make up the time.
• There’s a new tenant moving into the 550 Water Street building this week. The Real Estate Strategy, which provides market research and data services to over 40 companies, is moving in Friday.
• A familiar face to courthouse visitors has a new position. Carlotta Wells, who has been in the Clerk of the Courts office for 13 years, is moving to the traffic division. Monday was her last day at the courthouse.
• Judge Gerald Tjoflat, former chief judge of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, is the speaker at Friday’s First Coast Tiger Bay Club meeting at the San Jose Country Club. Cost is $25 and the public is invited. For reservations: 306-9065.
• Steve Spurrier won’t be the only one bringing an aerial show to Jacksonville Aug. 28. The Navy has authorized a pregame flyover for the Jags’ preseason game with Spurrier’s Washington Redskins.
• Local mortgage broker Tom Morcom sent Mayor John Peyton a letter pointing out that the $232 million price tag affixed to the new Duval County Courthouse exceeds by over $100 million the combined market value of the Bank of America tower, the Wachovia building and Independent Square. According to property appraiser records, the three buildings are valued at $127.2 million.
• The streetscaping project in Springfield is moving forward with the installation of new street lights, which JEA says should be operational by the end of the month.
• Former Jags linebacker Jeff Kopp made his debut as a sports anchor at Ch. 30 last week and the station might want to update its phone list. A caller was told Kopp didn’t work there and they had never heard of him.
• Reminder: one northbound lane and the northbound sidewalk of the Main Street Bridge will be closed through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the bridge repainting project.
• The next Downtown Development Authority meeting is scheduled from Aug. 20 at 9 a.m. in the 15th floor conference room at the City Hall Annex.
• Fine Art and Framing by D J on North Laura Street is closing, at least temporarily. Co-owner Jerome Davis said he may reopen in a couple of months.