• What does Mayor John Peyton order when he goes to The Chunky Chef on Bay Street? The Mayor John Peyton, obviously. All of the items on the new restaurant’s menu are named after well-known people from Jacksonville and co-owner Ron Dray said the mayor usually orders his namesake, which happens to be chicken Diana, whenever he comes in. Dray said most of the people with namesake menu items order their item when they visit except for one — Sheriff John Rutherford, whose item is the chef salad.
• The City selected John Culbreth as the new director of Parks, Recreation and Entertainment. Culbreth is currently the director of Parks and Recreation for Fulton County, Ga. and will join the City of Jacksonville Jan. 3. His appointment must be approved by City Council.
• Clarification. In Wednesday’s story about what real estate agents spend, we said Eden Jordan of Re/Max would gross about $390,000 this year based on a 3.25 percent commission. Jordan said she will actually gross less (about $320,000) thanks to lower commissions and a variety of ways the commission can be split depending on how the house is sold.
• At Monday’s Council president lunch, mayoral policy chief Adam Hollingsworth walked in and noticed that Council member Warren Alvarez was already eating. “They will let anybody in here,” said Hollingsworth to Alvarez, who replied, “You prove that.”
• Speaking of the lunch, Jaguars attorney Paul Harden showed up wearing — get this — socks. Harden is notorious for not wearing them. “I had to go to court today,” offered Harden as the reason for such formal attire.
• Condolences to City Council executive assistant Debbie Delgado. Her mother passed away recently.
• Though it only cost nearly $5 million to buy the old Barnett Bank building, Cameron Kuhn recently announced that it will cost as much as $20 million to completely renovate the 1920s-era facility. Kuhn is the Orlando developer who in October unveiled plans for a $250 million River Watch at City Centre development downtown.
• The “JU Insider,” a weekly call-in show for Jacksonville U. athletics, will air live from the Regency Alehouse on Thursday nights at 6 p.m. Sports Information Director Joel Lamp is the host.
• An overstatement? Referencing Saturday’s Florida-South Carolina game, policy and government affairs chief Steve Diebenow said, “This is the most provocative week in college football history.”
• The Gator Bowl Association is looking for volunteers to help with the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. There will be training sessions Saturday and Wednesday in the East Club and volunteers may choose from a variety of tasks. For more information, call 798-1700.
• Two golf pros on the move: Todd McDonald from Deercreek to the new Amelia National in Nassau County and Tim Spangler, who left Glen Kernan earlier this year, to the new Eagle Landing course in OakLeaf Plantation. John Randolph has replaced Spangler; no word on the new Deercreek pro.
• One of our town’s longest-running traditions starts again today when former Mayor John Delaney opens the annual Salvation Army bell-ringing drive. The event will be at the Avenues Mall’s center court at noon and you can expect to hear the jingles — the bells, plus your spare change — at Army kettles all over town through Christmas.