• City Council member Lake Ray has withdrawn a bill to keep local water from being transferred to South Florida. At one time, a board appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush was rumored to be discussing that option, but Ray said nothing materialized. “But if it comes up again, we’ll move forward with some kind of local opposition,” he said.
• The Chamber of Commerce helped put together Wednesday’s Military Appreciation Luncheon, but Chamber chair Barry Allred had to make his remarks by video. Allred is in Europe on a trade mission.
• Just when Mayor John Peyton thought he was going to make it through a public appearance without being questioned about the new Duval County Courthouse, he was asked at the end of the military luncheon how he thought former president Ronald Reagan would have handled the project. “Reagan was a fiscal conservative so he probably would have brought it in for as cheap as possible,” Peyton responded. Does that mean he’d keep it at the original $190 million? “I think $232 (million) comes to mind. That sounds like a good safe number,” he said.
• The mayor’s plan to include small businesses and minority contractors on City construction projects has drawn criticism on all sides, but he thinks that means he might be on the right track. “It’s probably good news that nobody’s thrilled about this,” said Peyton.
• JMoMA staffers and librarians from the Haydon Burns Library will lead discussions of three contemporary novels inspired by artistic themes. The first discussion — “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown — is scheduled for June 24 at 7 p.m. at the museum. The discussions are free and open to the public. For details, call 366-6911, Ext. 204.
• In recent stories on the Bay Street Town Center project, we referred to Ed Hall as the City’s streets and drainage chief. In fact, Hall is the deputy director of Public Works.
• The Urban League will celebrate 57 years of service to the local community at its annual meeting and reception Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Ritz Theatre and LaVilla Museum.