• Robert H. Pritchard has joined the law firm of Rogers Towers as head of the Health Law Practice. Pritchard practices in the areas of health care, health care fraud, health care litigation, health care reimbursement, education law, tax-exempt organizations, general corporate law, tax and complex commercial litigation. Prior to joining Rogers Towers, Pritchard was a member of the Bedell, Dittmar, DeVault, Pillans & Coxe, P.A. and Holland & Knight, LLP law firms.
• The builders association’s Parade of Homes is underway and only one entry was filed in the $1 million and over category — it’s a $2.3 million biggie at the Plantation Country Club. There are 85 entries this year.
• Big tourism luncheon Wednesday and they’ll present awards to lots of hotel and restaurant workers who did something special for guests. Among them: a Sea Turtle bellman who drove a guest to the Fort Lauderdale airport, and a Mayo Clinic Courtyard by Marriott front desk worker who saved a guest who had driven into a retention pond. And the sheriff’s office will have a thank-you for the maintenance supervisor at a Deerwood area hotel who ratted on a drug operation in a guest room. His tipoff: lots of calls, no room service and paying cash for everything.
• The Jaguars are so high-tech that they even have a device that replicates the human rear end. It’s a ball-snapping machine so quarterbacks can “get under center” without a real center present.
• The Multi Cultural Institute of Jacksonville is seeking start-up money and the mayor’s office will probably come through with $68,500 from the Executive Operating Reserve. No word on where they’ll get the rest, but City Council member Dr. Gwen Chandler is working with the group.
• A local country club had to drain its swimming pool recently to repair a few cracks and was astounded when it got the next water bill: the pool held 209,000 gallons.
• The inaugural issue of the quarterly Jaxport Magazine is out. The spring 2003 edition covers everything from vehicle processing to biographies of the Jaxport board. Good aerial photos of all Jaxport’s facilities, too.
• Area Episcopalians decide this week on a new No. 2 bishop who’ll probably take over the Diocese of Florida when Steve Jecko steps down. There are five candidates and the smart money says to take the man from Texas.
• The FCCJ Broadway series schedule features “Mamma Mia” and “42nd Street” (as we told you a few weeks ago,) plus a nice surprise for everyone: “The Producers” is on next year’s lineup.
• Much Ado About Books co-chair Bea Walker is reporting this year’s event raised $90,000. The money is tabbed for children’s books.
• The JCCI is on the prowl to get more attendance at its “forum on ethics” this week. They’re aiming at the 25-45 set and are bringing in keynote speakers to go with breakout sessions. It starts with a Thursday dinner, then all day Friday. The price is $40 for non-members and $25 for members.
• The stadium improvements have a long way to go but there are signs of progress — for instance, one of the escalators in the South end zone is now covered.