• Jacksonville University has named four local businessmen to its board of trustees: Walt Bussells, former CEO of JEA; L. Buck Fowler, attorney and husband of the late Tillie Fowler; Wayne Galloway, retired from Proctor & Gamble; and Robert Leverock, director of marketing for the Gator Bowl Association.
• Word is the new main library will open Nov. 12. City officials selected a weekend day in hopes of a big public turnout.
• Speaking of the library system, the new Highlands Branch Library is having a dedication ceremony July 9 at 9 a.m. The branch is in City Council member Gwen Yates’ district and her aide Brenda Kelly and Mayor John Peyton are planning to attend.
• Center Bank President Raymond Mason recently sent Mayor John Peyton a letter suggesting Peyton may have a future in politics beyond the mayor’s office. Mason said he hopes he lives long enough to call on Peyton when he’s “in the Oval Office.” Peyton’s response: “Not unless I paint my house white. I don’t want to be in this business that long.”
• Jacksonville must be full of orchestra fanatics. According to the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra’s development office, over the past year the local orchestra had the highest increase in ticket sales nationwide.
• Six Jacksonville artists were recently awarded with grants from non-profit group The Community Foundation. Congratulations to Al Letson, Jr., Bonny Sanders, Bryan K. Terrell, Katherine Rea Stark, Vanessa Bowers and Russell Wilson. The artists are expected to use the grants, which total nearly $20,000, to produce plays, novels and paintings.
• There will be three Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks this year. They will start at Frienship Park downtown, the Sea Walk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach and Town Hall in Orange Park. They are on Sept. 24 and benefit the American Cancer Society.
• The closing of Locals (it’s being converted into Synovus Bank) on the southbank has left a few in the mayor’s office a bit dismayed. According to one e-mail, Sherwood’s may become the new watering hole of choice.
• Landmar has received its irrevocable letter of credit to begin work on the Shipyards. The LOC is from Wachovia Bank and it’s for $3.16 million, and expires June 28, 2006.
• There may be a thief lurking around City Hall. Seems cell phones and now a digital camera are missing from the second floor offices of the Environmental Quality Division.
• The Florida Theatre started its annual run of “Summer Movie Classics” again Sunday and whoever came up with this year’s movie list must be a Roy Scheider fan. He is in two of the 10 films.