• Mayor John Peyton has two elephant bookends on display in his office at City Hall. “But you’ll never guess where I got them,” said Peyton. And he’s right. “They were a gift from [Democrat congresswoman] Corrine Brown.”
• The airport starts its expansion on Monday. It’ll increase the size of the public area.
• Dawson’s Gallery will open in August at 4444 Hendricks Ave. in the Players Grill shopping center. It’s a new location and name for the Design Circus Gallery & Master Framers on University Boulevard.
• Gordo’s is going strong with its Cuban menu downtown and they hope to further expand here. They’d like to have a Beaches location.
• Happy birthday to Henrietta Foyt, who’s enjoying life at the retirement home next to St. Vincent’s. She’s 102 today.
• The Nest in San Marco is going out of business August 2 after being open for roughly a year and a half. No word on why the venture is folding.
• The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission’s July 10 meeting has been rescheduled for July 21. They’ll meet at Cecil Commerce Center at 9 a.m.
• Vestcor Construction Services, Inc. was awarded the National Paragon Award from the National Apartment Association for their renovation project at 11 E. Forsyth. Vestor Construction president Charles Bateh picked up the award at a reception in New Orleans.
• Duval County Clerk of the Court Jim Fuller has been elected as treasurer for the Florida Association of Court Clerks and Comptrollers. He’ll serve the organization in its upcoming year.
• The Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island now offers an extra perk for parents, a pirate tuck-in. For $35 a child, guests can have a fully-costumed pirate read their child a story in the room. Kids will also get a pirate hat, eye patch and treasure chest goodie bag complete with flag, tiny telescope, storybook and mini parrot.
• Theatre Jacksonville is holding auditions Monday at 7 p.m. for their next Shakespeare play for the new season, Macbeth. From this point forward, audition notices will no longer be mailed. They will list audition info on their website only.
• St. Augustine Outlet Center — that’s the one on the right as you go south on I-95 — is now owned by Chelsea Property Group, who changed the name to St. Augustine Premium Outlets. They will be adding stores in addition to new paint and design work.
• The Dominican Republic gets a lot of attention July 17 when the Florida Coastal School of Law has a seminar on the Caribbean nation. among the speakers are Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood, Mayor John Peyton and port director Rick Ferrin.