• Twenty-five NFL officials will be in town for Florida/Georgia weekend to see how the City and places such as the Landing handle large crowds in anticipation of the 2005 Super Bowl. They’ll also pay special attention to how Alltel Stadium accommodates 82,000 fans.
• Having a 1-5 record is bad enough, but now the Jags have really made the big time when it comes to national humiliation. Punter Chris Hanson’s leg-chopping incident made the Jay Leno show this week.
• The City is looking into whether putting 50 fiberglass manatees around Jacksonville will violate zoning and safety standards. The 7-foot-tall statues will be auctioned to raise money for the Otis Smith Kids Foundation. The Permitting Division is concerned the plaques identifying the sea cows will violate sign restrictions while the Risk Management Division wants to make sure the statues are safely anchored, non-combustible and roped off to prevent children from climbing on them. The statues are scheduled to begin appearing in fall 2004.
• The North District Citizens Planning Advisory Committee told City Council president Lad Daniels that North Florida needs its water to keep pace with planned development. The CPAC sent Daniels a letter supporting a possible ordinance that would make it cost prohibitive for South Florida to divert North Florida water.
• Magellan Child Development Center is offering City employees discounted child care. The discounts include free registration and 10-to 15 percent discounts on tuition.
• First Presbyterian Church has torn down its children’s playground after three years of no use. Because they no longer provide day care services, the office management will use the fenced-in area for other, as yet undetermined, purposes.
• We’ll have at least one person in next year’s Olympic Games. UNF baseball coach Dusty Rhodes is helping coach the Greek team.
• Shoppers will get 70 percent off books and gifts at a Book Fair being held Tuesday and Wednesday in the atrium of the Wachovia building. The Fair, sponsored by real estate company Trammel Crow, will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. both days.
• Happy Birthday to County Court Judge Harold “Bucky” Arnold, who is celebrating today. County Court Judge Roberto Arias will be celebrating Monday.
• Picnic at the Pops, hosted by the Jacksonville Symphony Guild, will begin at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the Jacksonville Zoological Gardens. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra concert, conducted by Michael Butterman, follows dinner. Wayne and Delores Weaver are the honorary co-chairs. For reservations, tickets or to volunteer, call 358-1479