• According to Douglas Pigg of First Baptist Church, the big retirement service for Dr. Jerry Vines will be Jan. 26 of next year. Mayor John Peyton, all of City Council and many area business and faith leaders have been invited to the service.
• How has Jaguars first-round pick Matt Jones spent his time off between various voluntary workout sessions and training camp? One thing was a photo shoot for the current issue of “Maxim” magazine. Jones and a few friends are on page 62.
• Downtown Vision has a new ArtWalk and Farmers Market coordinator. Ashley Titcomb started work last Monday and is a Jacksonville native. She worked for several years in sales and marketing for an art distributor in Orlando after graduating from the University of Central Florida. Titcomb said she loves the Downtown atmosphere and is glad to be working with DVI to promote the area.
• Karen Underwood of the City Council’s legislation division has accepted an administrative assistant job with the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission. She starts in late August.
• Doug Brown of the Jacksonville Housing Commission is also leaving his post to pursue new avenues. A going away party for Brown, who has been with the Commission for years, has been scheduled for Friday, from 2 - 4 p.m. in Commission’s board room.
• Spotted at last Thursday’s Jacksonville Sun’s game: Peter Bragan Sr. He’s still nursing a broken leg, but appeared in good spirits while watching from the president’s seats.
• Political pollster and consultant Bruce Barcelo has resinged from the City’s Library Board of Trustees. Citing an increasingly busy schedule, Barcelo sent a letter to the Mayor’s Office last week thanking them for the experience, but adding that he could no longer serve. The resignation takes effect upon Mayor John Peyton’s acceptance of it.
• The City’s Fire and Rescue Department is very close to appointing a new Chief of Fire Operations. Dale Margadonna, who has been with the City for more than 26 years, will be approved by the City Council tonight and will replace outgoing Chief Eugene Callahan.
• Looks like things are a go for the Port Authority to sign its first direct Asian container carrier. The contract is scheduled to be signed at 11:15 a.m. at the Aug. 3 board meeting with a ground breaking on the new terminal
to follow.