• Another local Realtor wants to be president of the Florida Association of Realtors. Wendell Davis of Watson Realty is running for secretary of the state organization and, if he wins, he’ll be in line to move up through the chairs. Russell Grooms, also of Watson, is currently the FAR president.
• Best wishes to Florida Coastal School of Law dean Don Lively. He’s moving to Phoenix to help open a law school there.
• Some downtown visitors last weekend didn’t look like they were part of the Sail Jacksonville Festival. They were attending a science fiction convention at the Adam’s Mark Hotel.
• Audrey Moran has formed Moran Mediation and Litigation Group. The firm will focus on mediation in state and federal court and will prosecute and defend employment-related claims, contract disputes and other civil litigation matters.
• The first lunch meeting of the Jacksonville Association of Defense Counsel is scheduled for June 22 at 11:45 a.m. at River City Brewing Co. Each member will pay for their own lunch. RSVP to Joey Vaughn at 353-6241 by June 18.
• More Equestrian Center legislation appeared before the City Council’s Finance Committee Monday and with it the opportunity for more barnyard-animal puns. Council member Jerry Holland said an amendment to keep City money out of a capital improvement account was akin to “beating a dead horse.” The City is creating the account to hold private contributions to the center. A group of horse enthusiasts promised to raise $5 million before construction started on the center. So far about $70,000 has been raised.
• Before Lad Daniels sought the Finance Committee’s approval for legislation that would approve business class tickets for City employees on lengthy flights, the outgoing Council president read a resolution thanking the committee for its hard work. “You should wait until after we hear the bill,” warned Finance chair Warren Alvarez. “You might not want to give it to us.”