• Going up . . . literally. The Villa Riva condos near St. Vincent’s are out of the ground. The terrace deck has been poured.
• Mayor John Peyton’s Monday walking tour through Springfield has been rescheduled until next year. The mayor’s office apparently wanted to schedule a time away from the holidays to attract more attention. The mayor is now considering taking a bus tour with other City officials through the entire Springfield area sometime in January.
• The City is going all out to promote the use of the Earned Income Tax Credit, which could return millions to Duval County’s low–to–moderate income workers. Working with the IRS and others, the City has already trained 20 people in tax preparation with 70 more scheduled. The “Northeast Florida Prosperity Campaign” will advertise on radio, television and in newspapers. Expect the City to formally announce the campaign in the next two weeks.
• The Jags will honor the area’s top high school football players during a pregame ceremony Sunday. The Ritz Voices will sing the National Anthem, and the halftime show will have a holiday theme. There will also be a flyover by the Red Baron Squadron.
• Pensacola attorney and current Florida Bar Board of Governors member Alan B. Bookman has been named president-elect designate of The Florida Bar.
• We misinterpreted a comment from mayor’s office spokesperson Heather Murphy in our Tuesday story about the St. Johns River City Band’s financial woes. The story said the mayor would not call in a loan to the band. Murphy clarified the mayor’s position: “The City is currently working with the River City Band to solve its debt issues. No specific solution has been reached, which means nothing has been ruled out,” she said.
• The Northeast Florida Builders Association will gather at Alltel Stadium Dec. 20 to paint houses and perform other volunteer activities. Volunteers who want to provide a happy holiday season for those less fortunate will meet in the east parking lot at 7:30 a.m. Individuals and groups that want to join should call 727-3443.
• Get into the Christmas season Saturday with a festive performance of “Holiday Pops: Home for the Holidays,” compliments of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, along with the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus. The concert, which begins at 3 p.m., is sponsored by The Weaver Family Foundation. For tickets, call 354-5547.