• Jason Thiel, project manager for the Downtown Development Authority, is leaving to take a job with a Forth Worth, Texas business. His new title will be director of Downtown Development/Tax Increment District for Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., a private concern. Thiel has been with the City since December 1997, first working in the Planning Department. He has been with JEDC since June 2000. His last day on the job here will be Oct. 10.
• Former Rep. Tillie Fowler is getting plenty of good publicity for her leadership on Washington commissions. She was on C-Span for almost an hour Monday night and glowing stories are appearing as far away as Denver newspapers.
• The Metro Square center at Emerson and I-95 is getting a big tenant. Advanced Career Training, which offers training programs in the medical and technical fields, has signed a lease for all 27,051 square feet of Building C.
• The Jacksonville Association of Firefighters probably raised about $20,000 to help fight muscular dystrophy during its three-day Poker Run on the St. Johns River, according to Secretary/Treasurer Jim Croft. The association made “well over 10 grand last year,” and this year’s run was twice as big, he says.
• A local company has an annual shrimp boil for customers and employees and thought it had a terrific invitation: an orgami shrimp. Trouble was quickly evident: the things were difficult to fold because of the legs and antennae. They tried to hire a kids club to do the task, but the kids gave up, so now employees are struggling with the paper.
• Your newspaper will look different soon: the T-U is working on a redesign.
• The zoo hoped to get offspring from its boy and girl jaguars but they aren’t a happy pair — in fact, the boy is missing an ear. Vets are trying artificial insemination.
• Edward Waters College will soon announce
that they’ll add three buildings, including a gym. Money’s been raised and Skanska has been hired to handle the construction.
• Former chief administrative officer Sam Mousa told the City Council’s Audit Committee that the Delaney administration made a mistake when it bought more land than necessary to build the new Duval County Courthouse. Mousa said high land prices were primarily to blame for the project’s projected cost overruns. The courthouse budget has grown from $190 million to more than $230 million.
• U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft will be in town today at the Omni to give an address to law enforcement officials.