• Gregory J. Lesak Jr. has joined the law firm of Volpe, Bajalia, Wickes, Rogerson & Galloway. Lesak, who graduated from Florida State University law school, will practice in the firm’s business and commercial litigation groups.
• Ch. 4 anchor Rob Sweeting is doing well as he recuperates from his heart surgery, which required six bypasses. No word yet on his return but fellow staffers talk with him daily.
• Good luck to Public Works spokesperson Sherry Hall in her new job. She’ll be running the Water and Sewer Expansion Authority’s communication department starting Monday.
• Tailgaters take heart.The City’s construction contract on Bay Street requires that three lanes be open on game days, including the Florida/Georgia game. Before the game, two lanes will lead to the stadium. After the game, two lanes will lead away.
• More improvements are planned for Five Points in the next year as part of the City’s Park and King Master Plan Revitalization Project. They include garden areas at the intersection, landscaped with crepe myrtles; antique light replicas on both sides of Park Street; brick crosswalks and angled parking, which will help tame traffic; and retimed traffic signals to improve transit.
• The Northeast Florida Equestrian Society made some incremental progress toward its pledge to raise $5 million in private donations to build barns at the Equestrian Center. Former City Council member Alberta Hipps, the group’s president sent Mayor John Peyton a check for $75,000. Now that the group has ponied up some dough, they expect it to be put to work fast. Hipps said, “We anticipate the appropriation of these funds in an expedient manner so that the much-needed improvements for the barns can be made as quickly as possible.”
• The Vote for Change movement makes a local stop Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at the T-U Center. Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt are scheduled to perform.
• Public Works says “a substantial number” of the Bay Street oak trees cut down last weekend were diseased. The City apparently feared falling dead branches could injure pedestrians on the north sidewalk and cited safety concerns as one reason the trees were cut down to make way for palm trees. Landscaping on the south sidewalk isn’t scheduled until at least next year.
• The little guys will get some time in the spotlight at Friday night’s Jags game when two Pop Warner Pee Wee football teams play during halftime. Before the game, the Jaguars will honor the members of the Greater Jacksonville Pop Warner Board.
LATE SCORES
National League
Chicago 13
Milwaukee 4
American League
Tampa Bay 6
Seattle 5
Anaheim 7
Kansas City 5
Oakland 6
Baltimore 2
Southern League
Jacksonville 5
Mobile 3