• Responding to harsh criticism during Supervisor of Elections John Stafford extended medical leave, the elections office defended its operations Wednesday in a letter to various politicians and party chairs. Chief Elections Assistant Richard Carlberg wrote, “the media had give much attention to the state of election preparedness across the nation and particularly in Florida. Reporting has been based on pejorative remarks and opinions proffered by various individuals and special interest groups and has served to seeds of doubt and distrust among much of our public body.” Carlberg sited bolstered poll worker training, increased election day staffing and additional voting machines and ballot bins as positive steps that are being taken in the upcoming elections.
• Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum has closed its Mandarin location of Sprinkles Playland. The Sprinkles at the museum in Springfield remains open.
• The Duval County Legislative Delegation office has done some remodeling: new office furniture arrived this week.
• Downtown Photo in Independent Square was closed Wednesday because of a family illness. It should reopen in the next couple of days.
• The mayor’s office is ready to tangle with the media — on the softball field. They’ve scheduled a game for late August and they’re doing some recruiting around City Hall.
• City Council members will get a sneak preview Friday of the renovated luxury suites at Alltel Stadium before the Jags team scrimmage.
• Mongo’s Flat Hot Grill at the Landing is now open. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner.
• Audrey Moran, president of Moran Mediation and Litigation Group, is the speaker at Monday’s Rotary Club of Jacksonville meeting at the Omni.
• Kathryn (Kay) E. Redington is the new executive director of the Jacksonville Public Library Foundation. She started earlier this week.
• Effective this week, all City Council standing committee meetings will be televised from noon-2 p.m. on Comcast Cable Channel 29.
• Pending finalization of a lease agreement, Adagio Spa and Salon, Inc. is coming downtown. Stacy Lorek of Addison Commercial Real Estate said the salon is in the final closing stages on a lease for the top floor of Park Place, across from Hemming Plaza.