• Auchter Company executive vice president Chuck Diebel asked Chief of Staff Scott Teagle for his help to schedule Mayor John Peyton as the keynote speaker at next year’s First Coast Real Estate Outlook Conference. Diebel said the March 18 conference would bring a crowd of about 600 to the Adam’s Mark Hotel.
• Volunteers in Medicine, which provides free outpatient medical services to working families, is discussing an affiliation with the University of North Florida College of Health.
• In an effort to broaden its audience, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra is becoming more child friendly. Recently, the JSO gave an afternoon performance of “Peter and the Wolf.” John Fryer, Duval County school superintendent and JSO board member, suggested that the symphony partner with history and music teachers to get music into schools and more students to the concerts. Finally, the JSO will consider providing on-site child care for concert–goers.
• The Downtown Art Walk Wednesday will feature 50 or more different artists and installations from the inaugural event. Locations include Brooklyn Art & Design Center, 100 Laura Street, Flat 38, Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art, Snyder Memorial, the Landing, Gallery L and Tunnelvision. Most of the sites will have refreshments and music.
• The State Technology Office’s will hold a series of conference calls through Jan. 15, to decide whether 19 Florida municipalities, Jacksonville included, have adequate emergency cellular coverage. The board’s decision could lead to increased cell tower construction in Duval County.
• The Sav-A-Child juvenile counseling organization has hired Doug Berenguer as its assistant director.
• Upcoming events at The Florida Theatre include Jason Mraz Friday. Tickets are $25. The Community Nutcracker will be performed Dec. 5 and 6, at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $30, $25 and $20.
• Two local companies — Sally Corp. and Pizzazz Scenic Contractors — received awards from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions for rides and exhibits they designed.
• ICS Logistics, whose slogan is “We Move the World,” is moving a lot of turkeys around the globe for the holidays. The company, which specializes in shipping frozen foods to restaurants, grocery stores and international markets, is having a record year. Last year, ICS shipped about five million pounds of turkey to Puerto Rico for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. This year, another five million pounds are going to Puerto Rico, and the same amount is being shipped domestically. The company’s business to the Caribbean during the holidays has jumped an estimated 40 to 45 percent. ICS Logistics is the parent company of the TriLegacy Group, developer of The Shipyards.