• Palmer Course Design Company in Ponte Vedra has completed its first golf course in Portugal. The Victoria Clube de Golfe is a 7,176-yard course in Vilamoura and it’s the longest course in the country. It also will host the 2005 World Cup Championships-Algarve World Cup later this year. The company has designed courses in 23 countries and 38 states.
• City Council member Pat Lockett-Felder is going to get pretty close to being mayor at the end of this week. Both Council President Elaine Brown and Council President-elect Kevin Hyde will be out of town. As Rules Committee chair, Lockett-Felder will assume the Council presidency on Thursday and Friday, which means she’s technically second in command in the city.
• BellSouth’s Jim McCollum traveled to Tallahassee this weekend to celebrate a special anniversary. He attended his 40th high school reunion and gave a humorous account of the evening during a Chamber-sponsored luncheon honoring outgoing City Council President Elaine Brown. “There were a lot of old people there,” McCollum said.
• Speaking of the luncheon honoring Elaine Brown, event-sponsor The Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce said the gathering was among the most popular they’ve hosted. In fact, Chamber chairman Bob Helms said the guest list had to be closed after 120 invitees expressed interest in attending.
• We still don’t know which Council members have been asked to chair the Council’s seven standing committees, but Council President-elect Kevin Hyde said this week that those names will be released Thursday afternoon.
• More improvements at residential highrise The Carling: Decorative awnings are being installed this week. The building is expected to open before the end of July.
• The wood planks at the base of the palms along Bay Street? They won’t be removed for at least another six months. Word from the City’s Public Works Department is that they want to be assured the trees have taken proper root before the extra support is yanked.
• Community Connections of Jacksonville will honor Wachovia CEO Bob Helms at its annual Celebration of Leadership dinner Oct. 6 at the Omni. Helms will receive the Davis Award for Lifetime Achievement.
• To the naked eye, renovations along Riverside’s Park and King shopping districts will appear to be done by early August. However, work will continue, as the transition to underground utility lines is made. That portion of the project won’t wrap before December.
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