• Friday’s Georgia-Florida Hall of Fame luncheon is a sellout. Several tables were even added.
• Seven more volunteers from the American Red Cross Northeast Florida chapter headed to Orlando Tuesday to help with recovery efforts after Hurricane Wilma. Volunteers Paul Rinnert, Jorge Schmidt, Margaret Schmidt, Michelle Halmadean, Lee Hamer, A.J. Hagan and Margaret Howard will be joining nine other Jacksonville volunteers who were sent to Orlando over the weekend. Red Cross spokesperson Christian Smith said the volunteers will be dispatched from Orlando and will be helping with various sheltering, feeding and financial assistance needs over the next three weeks. Smith said many of these volunteers have already spent time this year helping with the aftermath of both Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
• WorkSource and the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce announced plans for a “Regional Workforce Summit” this week. The summit is planned for Jan. 10 and will focus on workforce trends.
• Though the Duval County Pharmacy Association is going on its 168th year of existence, the association will be celebrating its 100th birthday at 2 p.m. today with a plaque dedication at the corner of Main and Adams streets. Why the 68-year delay? Apparently the association had an original 100th birthday party at the Florida Theatre in 1936, which was to be culminated later in the night with a plaque dedication. However, something went amiss at the party and the dedication never happened. Howard Staats, the association’s current president, said he recently found the plaque and decided to have it placed and dedicated before his term ended.
• Despite being postponed a week by the threat of Hurricane Ophelia, this year’s American Heart Association Heart Walk was a success. Nearly 8,000 walkers raised almost $1 million.
• More bars appear to be headed to Bay Street. Operators of defunct bar TSI in Springfield — now it’s called The Pearl — are busy renovating space next to Eclate. We hear the new night spot is expected to open before the end of 2005, just before Mark’s — a 3,000-square-foot lounge — opens in the first floor of the Suddath lofts.
• So what’s the latest with the proposed 4 a.m. last call downtown? City Council member Suzanne Jenkins, who is sponsoring legislation to make that policy change, has been making the rounds with various community groups citywide in recent months in an attempt to inform them of what it could accomplish. Jenkins said she is not trying to “sell the idea” to the groups; rather, she is simply trying to inform them and answer any questions they may have. Most groups are split into thirds, she said: for, against and silent. The bill should return to the Council committees before the holidays.
• The new $250 million River Watch at City Centre project is still in the conceptual phase but Orlando developer Cameron Kuhn is already looking for buyers of hotel and residential condominiums. Stirling International Realty owner Roger Soderstrom said he expects the 33-story tower will be half sold out soon.
• Looks like Jacksonville may get a Veterans’ Nursing Home. According to Dan Guthrie, chairman of the Northeast Florida Veterans’ Council, the funding is in place for a 120-bed nursing home facility that will employ about 150 and have an annual budget of more than $6 million. The money will come from the state and the only hurdle is the state is requesting that the City donate 12-15 acres for the facility.
• The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair is coming up and fair organizers are still trying get $35,000 worth of rent from the City that was incurred during Super Bowl.
• Speaking of the fair, the Cattlemen’s Dinner is Nov. 10 at 6 p.m.