• Florida Times-Union reporter Matt Galnor has a new beat. Formerly looking after the City Council, Galnor is making the transition to being an investigative reporter.
• It ultimately will endure scrutiny from four Council committees but a bill seeking to repeal the funding for three downtown parking garages is having a rough start. While the Finance Committee narrowly gave it the green light Monday, the Public Health, Safety & Utilities Committee overwhelmingly gave it a negative report.
• A recent study commissioned by the Jacksonville Airport Authority estimated that the City’s four airports in 2003 helped sustain almost 30,000 regional jobs, which produced $828 million in wages. Jacksonville International Airport together with smaller Craig and Herlong airports and Cecil Field contributed an estimated $1.7 billion to the regional economy, according to a study by Cincinnati-based Ricondo and Associates, Inc.
• Mayor John Peyton promised to bring corporate efficiency to government and now he’s hoping the Navy performs a cost/benefit analysis on its preliminary decision to retire the Mayport-based John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier. “The Navy spent $350 million on this ship just a year ago, and I would hope their final decision will reflect the need to get the most out of that investment,” he said.
• The Police and Fire Pension Fund is taking the first steps to secure and repair the Marble Bank Building. The landmark is part of the Laura Street Trio, three crumbling historic buildings that the Fund is trying to develop. The first order of business is to patch the bank’s broken skylight. Plans are on their way to City inspectors.
• Wednesday’s ArtWalk will have 29 venues including the Florida Theatre, Push Two Gallery and the Community Art Bazaar.
• Over 5,000 will be here later this month for the state cheerleading competitions. They’ll fill downtown hotels plus several in the Southpoint area.
• Most of the Gator Bowl Association staff took the day off but one major details had to be cleared up — the Toyota courtesy cars had to be returned to Southeast Toyota. A group of paid drivers shuttled the cars from parking lot S at the stadium.