• The cost of doing lunch at the Omni is going up for the Rotary Club and so are the club’s dues. The hotel is raising its rates to host the weekly luncheons from $1175 to $1841. Accordingly, Rotary’s quarterly dues are going up from $230 to $255.
• Good news for Mayor John Peyton’s ongoing book drive. Underway since June 2004, more than 500,000 books have been donated so far in support of the City’s early literacy initiative. The drive will conclude in 2007 with an overall goal of 1 million books.
• Not all the big home sales are at the beach. A newcomer from South Florida paid almost $3 million for an Avondale mansion.
• Jaguars placekicker Josh Scobee didn’t goof off during his off week — he returned to his native Louisiana to propose to his sweetie. She accepted.
• Jacksonville Bank President Gil Pomar showed his competitive spirit on the golf course over the weekend as he and his partner won his club’s member-member tournament.
• Some of the City’s highly-paid execs live outside the county in Ponte Vedra Beach but not COO Dan Kleman, who recently bought digs in Deercreek Country Club.
• Builders of the two big Southbank condo projects have a competition to see who can top out the fastest. While it looks like the Strand (that’s the one on the river) has a big edge, expect the San Marco Place (that’s the one by Morton’s) to catch up quickly in the next week or so due to its construction techniques.
• The Jaguars will host a big Boy Scout appreciation luncheon today at the stadium. Team officials and several players will attend.
• Florida Times-Union general manager Robert Martin has resigned from the Film and Television Advisory Board. He’s been a member for the past seven years.
• The local Democratic party is holding a big fund raiser Friday night, but it’s not for a local or even state official. Georgia gubernatorial candidate and current Lt. Governor, Mark Taylor, will be at The River Club seeking campaign contributions. The minimum donation is $50.