• Lawyers don’t just go to the Jacksonville Film Festival for the entertainment. They can earn Continuing Legal Education credits, as well. According to Jean Tait, executive director of JFF, attorneys can earn CLE credit by purchasing legal panel tickets from the Jacksonville Bar Association. The JFF legal panel, to be held during the festival weekend in May, discusses independent film making and the law.
• Speaking of the film festival, late submittals may have a chance, after all. The final deadline for films was officially March 24. However, JFF executive director Jean Tait recently said that they’re still viewing some submissions. “They’re late, but we try to get them all watched,” said Tait.
• The Duval County Republican Party hasn’t decided who to support in Florida’s next gubernatorial race. But at the local Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner fundraiser, the “Charlie Crist for governor” stickers were far more prominent than were stickers touting opponent Tom Gallagher.
• Speaking of the dinner, many of the party donors in attendance have apparently figured out how to read between the lines when local party chair Mike Hightower starts talking about fundraising. After Hightower said he “may” have to hit donors up for more cash, Bruce Barcelo, a political consultant, sarcastically asked, “May? May have to come back to us?”
• As if a full caseload of consumer law clients wasn’t enough to keep Lynn Drysdale busy, the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid attorney has had to keep an eye on Tallahassee for the last two months. State lawmakers have been hinting for months that they might try to get rid of predatory lending legislation that Drysdale helped draft. Drysdale’s been tipped that the legislature might try to weaken regulations on payday and auto title loans or get rid of them entirely.
• Clarification. Guest band, Classical Mystery Tour — a Tribute to the Beatles, will perform with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra this weekend.
• The JEDC assured media outlets that it is not chasing a baseball team to make a full-time spring training move to Jacksonville. The City is strictly looking for teams to play one game or a weekend series at the most. Costs and revenues are still being figured out, but the JEDC estimates a mid-level Major League team would charge from $100,000 to $150,000 in appearance fees.
• City Library Director Barbara Gubbin had hoped not to reveal her department’s budget to the City until after it receives the Library Board’s approval. But City Chief of Staff Dan Kleman told her to get the preliminary numbers to the City’s Budget Office before the budget receives the board’s approval. The Budget Office must make its final recommendations on funding by May 15.
• Florida Coastal School of Law professor Nancy Hogshead-Makar has found her name in the news lately as a commentator on the Duke lacrosse team rape allegations. Hogshead-Makar is quoted in the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Lexington Herald Leader among others, commenting as an attorney, Duke alumnus and women’s athletics advocate. Hogshead-Makar has criticized the team but has supported the school, which she said showed great sensitivity when she was raped on campus in 1981.
• Where’s the name change card? Mayor John Peyton gets Newsweek magazine but it’s addressed to “the Honorable Jon Peters.”
• The City Council has added a new feature to its Web site that will help residents navigate the numerous Council and Council committee-related meetings held each month. The new link — www.coj.net/City+Council/Schedule.htm — includes the entire schedule for the rest of the year.
• National Tourism Week is in May and the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau is holding its big reception May 17 at the Osborn center from 5-7:30 p.m. The awards ceremony is at 6.
• The NFL season is still months away, but Pro Discount Wear at the Landing already has jerseys of big-name players that have new teams, including Keyshawn Johnson’s Carolina Panthers jersey as well as Drew Brees, who is now with the New Orleans Saints. The two are sandwiched around the Jags’ Matt Jones jersey.
• Speaking of the Landing, that seemingly incessant noise these days is jackhammers busting up the floor on the second level for the coming Club Paris.
• Five Points is having a block party from 4 p.m.-midnight Saturday. There will be live music in the street, a sneak peek at the restored Riverside Theatre, art, food and shopping at stores on the Park Street strip.