• When Bob Goin was fired as Florida State’s athletic director in 1994, he and his wife moved to Mandarin and ran a flower shop. He later got the job as the University of Cincinnati athletic director and retired from there last month with accolades. Now? Back to Jacksonville, where he’ll help the University of North Florida’s struggling athletic program and volunteer for son Brian, who runs The Players Championship.
• SMG, which runs Alltel Stadium, has a massive task on New Year’s night. The Jaguars play a 4:15 p.m. game and the stadium has to be clean in time for the Toyota Gator Bowl on the following day. SMG boss Bob Downey says he’ll ask everyone to help. A small bag will be in every cup holder and he hopes fans will pack up their trash.
• The Riverside YMCA closes today through Sunday for some more renovations and a general cleaning. Members shouldn’t be too upset — they got letters over the weekend saying there won’t be a dues increase for 2006. The Bank of America branch already has been refurbished and is open again.
• The Riverside Avenue work is getting close to a finish. The road will be closed at night starting on Friday to get the final work done and all lanes may open late next week.
• Leadership Jacksonville is seeking nominees for the class of 2007 and it’s kind of pricey — $2,500. Past graduates include former Mayor John Delaney, BellSouth’s Jim McCollum, City Council member Art Graham and a host of others.
• Mayor John Peyton is in New York on City business this week. He’ll return Thursday in time for his holiday open house.
• A contingent from the State Attorney’s Office sent to the City Council’s Finance Committee to lobby for lower parking rates at City lots found itself on the receiving end of a surprise cross-examination by Council member Lad Daniels. Daniels, a critic of downtown parking subsidies, asked a series of questions and, after receiving yes-or-no answers, concluded each one by saying, “That’s all I wanted to know.”
• When Council member Gwen Yates left town two weeks ago ahead of the Tuesday City Council meeting, she thought she was leaving the dispute over parking subsidies in City lots behind. She was surprised to find the debate still going when she returned. The Council shelved a compromise bill in her absence. “I thought this was solved when I left town,” she said when the bill reappeared on the Finance Committee’s agenda.