City Notes

News

• The May 19-22 film festival’s movie count now is at 70 and one prominent name coming is critic Molly Haskell, cousin of local developer Preston Haskell, and a contributor to publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Esquire, The Nation, Town and Country, The New York Observer and The New York Review of Books. Also coming, but certainly not as literate, is the University of Georgia’s mascot, a bulldog named Uga. No word yet on the major star.

• The Chamber’s new Area Council coordinator is Dawn Brown, who moves over from the membership division. She replaces Jackie Brown, who left to go with Kelly Services.

• Aetna got the top honor last week in the local public relations association awards for a customer outreach program. Also getting big awards were the port authority for its annual report and St. John and Partners for an audio/visual presentation.

• Reminder: the Main Street Bridge closes tonight at 7:30. It reopens at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

• The Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee hears Sheriff John Rutherford at its Tuesday morning meeting.

• It’s not everyday you see a car with a Guam license plate in downtown Jacksonville, but there was one parked on Bay Street last week.

• Ch. 4 is planning to install a weather camera at the City-owned Hanna Park.

• The Property Appraiser’s web site is full of useful information and it’s one of the best associated with the City. Now, it may get even better. Council member Michael Corrigan would like to add information such as areas designated as Planned Unit Developments and historic districts to the site.

• He may have left for Miami, but Super Bowl Host Committee president Michael Kelly and his wife Lisa will be recognized by the City Council for their efforts the past few years. In fact, the entire Host Committee is on the resolution.

• Oprah wasn’t in Jacksonville last week but a camera crew from her television show was. They were at the London Bridge Pub filming for an upcoming episode featuring eclectic local musician and writer Chris Spohn. Spohn’s band Barnyard often performs at the London Bridge.

• A somewhat controversial bill filed by City Council member Art Shad has been withdrawn. The legislation would have posted Council member attendance at bimonthly committee meetings on the internet. But after languishing for months and enduring countless amendments, Shad requested it be permanently dropped from future agendas.

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