• Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings chose her words wisely during the Chamber’s Government Affairs breakfast last week. When asked about her point of view regarding the ever-present water issues facing Florida, Jennings quickly changed focus. “I’m a politician. I’m not going near that one,” she quipped.
• The Jacksonville Landing’s Beer Festival will return on Friday. Food and more than 50 beers will be served throughout the Landing’s second floor. Admission costs $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
• Downtown Vision has purchased 900 new banners to hang on the historic lamp posts throughout the Downtown business improvement district. The brightly colored fabric banners, according to DVI, “ will display fun messages and add a lot of energy to the streets of Downtown Jacksonville.”
• More banner news: the Super Bowl banners are on sale for $100 plus tax with part of the proceeds going to the YET Center that the NFL built near the stadium. You can buy two and they’re at 493-7239.
• Collette B. Cunningham has been appointed as an Assistant General Counsel with the City. She will work in the general litigation department. Cunningham is replacing LaShanda Dawkins, who left the position a few weeks ago.
• The fans showed up early and ready to party before the University of Florida’s Sunday game with the University of Kentucky. Just one problem: due to an Alachua County ordinance, Gainesville bars can’t serve alcohol before 1 p.m. The four-deep crowd at the bar at the Swamp restaurant on University Avenue became increasingly unhappy with ice tea and water until the management lifted the prohibition a half hour early.
• Florida Coastal School of Law has changed the name of its Center for Strategic Governance and International Initiatives. The center is now called the Center for Law and Public Policy. FCSL Dean Peter Goplerud said the name change came as a result of “where we wanted to go with the program and name recognition.”
• The Jacksonville Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators is swearing in new officers for the year today at noon. Being sworn in are Rhonda Benizzi, president; Pamela Bass, president-elect; M. Frances Rausch, vice president; Jean Pimental, secretary; and Elizabeth Locke, treasurer.