• Olympic gold medalist and Florida Coastal School of Law professor Nancy Hogshead Makar will be the keynote speaker at a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Olympic-themed breakfast Wednesday. She’ll be talking to company leaders who have given to the United Way.
• It’s never too early to plan for the next legislative session and the Chamber’s Local Affairs Task Force meets this afternoon at City Hall to look over next year’s needs. It’s at 3:30.
• Three local Episcopal churches on the westside are merging and pulling out of the local diocese due to the national squabble. The three have found a new home at a place that might surprise you — the chapel at the Bishop Snyder High School, a Catholic school.
• Many people show off their collectibles and that’s true of Tax Collector Mike Hogan, whose walls are adorned with his coffee mugs and souvenir pin collections.
• The JCCI’s annual meeting is Sept. 28 at the Wyndham.
• Get out the mops – again. The Body Shop at the Landing had water dripping out of the ceiling and puddling in front of the store Monday morning after another 3 a.m. plumbing problem at Club Paris.
• This week’s Workspace features Bob White, the executive director of the Cultural Council. For more, see page 3.
• If you’re the best in the nation, aren’t you going to be the best in your own state? In the case of the local Sales and Marketing Council, the answer was “yes” as the SMC won the Excel Award among Florida builders’ associations. SMC is part of the Northeast Florida Builders Association and backed up its best-in-nation honor with the state award when the results were announced last week at a builders’ convention in Orlando. Other area companies winning awards were Merchandising Plus Inc., Renaissance Creative Services, Full Circle Productions, Taylor Woodrow, Sisler-Johnston Interior Design and Standard Pacific Homes.
• Saturday’s funeral of local attorney Gary Pajcic produced what’s believed to be the largest gathering at The River Club. After the ceremony at Episcopal High, everyone went Downtown for a reception and it’s estimated that over a thousand were at the club atop Independent Square.
• Reminder. The first meeting of the Jacksonville Quarterback Club is Aug. 23 in the Terrace Suites in the south end zone at Alltel. ESPN college football analyst Mike Gottfried is the guest speaker. Other speakers this season include former Jag Tony Boselli, UF head coach Urban Meyer, Georgia head coach Mark Richt and former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway.
• A couple of Hogan Street buildings — the Seminole Club and the Federal Reserve Bank — are up for historical designation by the Jacksonville Historical Preservation Commission. City Council member Suzanne Jenkins is sponsoring both ordinances.
• Speaking of Council, members Warren Alvarez and Sharon Copeland will be reappointed to the board of the Jacksonville Zoological Society and both will serve past when their Council terms expire. Alvarez is term-limited and Copeland isn’t running for re-election.
• Last week we told you how well Jacksonville U.’s athletes fared in the classroom. The athletes at the University of Florida did well, also. During the fall 2005 and spring 2006 semesters, 21 made the President’s List (4.0 GPA) while another 162 made the Dean’s List (3.5 or better GPA).
• If you commute on Butler Boulevard you may want to attend the Aug. 24 public information workshop the Florida Department of Transportation is hosting. The meeting will focus on proposed improvements on JTB from east of Kernan Boulevard to San Pablo Road. It’s from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the UNF University Center.
• S & J Town restaurant on East Adams Street has a sign on the window stating “Temporarily closed for renovations. We regret any inconvenience.” No sign of any renovations going on, however.
• The Downtown Gold’s Gym is holding a lunch Friday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and all the proceeds raised go to the Soldiers 4 Soldiers charity. It’s $5 a plate and they are also taking donations. Also, the gym will offer tanning booths starting next month and a November grand opening celebration and ribbon-cutting is being planned. For information, call 854-6531.