• The legislature is over so our representatives are back home. Sen. Jim King is hosting a charity fishing tournament Saturday in Palatka, then Sen. Steve Wise will lead a group of legislators to a Tuesday meeting of the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee.
• Our story on Bay Street incorrectly said the City wanted to use $600,000 in capital improvement money to pay for improvements for the Bay Street Town Center. The City only wants to take $320,000 from what was a $600,000 account.
• If you’ve ever thought about picking up one of the downtown trolleys, you might want to look for a used one. New, they cost $240,000 apiece, and JTA representatives say they might need to buy one if they lose a trolley stop due to the work on Bay Street.
• St. Johns Episcopal Cathedral is opening a new preschool downtown. The St. Johns Cathedral School and Early Learning Center will open on the corner of Duval and Market Streets on Sep. 8. It plans to accept about 100 students.
• Mayor John Peyton presented an award to Mazda for 25 years of shipping cars through the Jacksonville Port Authority. Since 1979, Mazda has shipped more than 1 million cars through Jacksonville.
• Plans for a multi-million-dollar aquatic center are all but dead in the water, say its advocates. Envisioned as a first class facility where high-profile meets could take place, Attorney and former Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar said Mayor John Peyton wasn’t on board. “It’s just not in his priorities,” she said. “Things were looking really good for us a few years ago, but the economy went bad and our donors weren’t there anymore. It doesn’t look good.”
• The Jacksonville Jaguars and Levy Restaurants are hosting a Hard Hat Party Tuesday. The event will preview the new Pepsi Plaza Tailgate Cabanas, organizers say once they’re completed, businessmen and fans will be able to “tailgate in style before and after every home game.”
The Tall Ships come downtown next weekend and our Downtown This Week cover story tells you about the event. The magazine is available all over downtown.