• The Shipyards will unveil its plans at a Wednesday morning press conference and crews were getting ready Monday — landscaping was in progress around the construction trailer where the press conference will be held.
• The Chamber’s annual Leadership Trip will cost you between $1,795 and $2,095, depending on your work status. Non-profits and government officials get the lower rate, business travelers pay the higher. It’s Nov. 1-3 to New Orleans and the price includes about everything. There’s also a “Helping Agenda” trip on the previous three days to help rebuild a flooded home.
• Mike Shad’s renovation of the old Five Points Theatre building into office space obviously hit a need. He’s leased all but 1,000 of the 40,000 square feet available.
• Local junior golfer Bud Cauley will play on the U.S. team for the Junior Ryder Cup this fall in Wales. He’s home schooled and will play on the Nease High team.
• Jaxson de Ville is considered one of the best mascots but he still isn’t in the Mascot Hall of Fame. The Jaguars’ mascot will be in Philadelphia today for the induction of this year’s class: Clutch of the Houston Rockets, KC Wolf of the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Utah Jazz Bear. The others in the hall are The Phillie Phanatic, the San Diego Chicken and the Phoenix Suns Gorilla.
• Some schools haven’t started yet so the Jaguars had help at Monday’s practice: Luke Del Rio, son of the head coach, was shagging footballs.
• Waston Custom Home Builders is in the final stages of finishing the TV-47 Dream Home. The 4,000 square-foot home is estimated at $1.5 million and the expected completion date is Sept. 1.
• Akerman Senterfitt has expanded its Jacksonville office, adding Peter Dame to the firm’s bond practice, which he will head up along with fellow Akerman shareholder Mike Williams. Dame has served as bond counsel for JEA St. Johns River Power Park and the State of Florida, among others. He was a shareholder at Rogers Towers and was previously with Squire Sanders & Dempsey locally.
• Let the show begin. The new backstage rigging system at the Florida Theatre is almost completely installed. According to one of the stagehands, they expect to be hanging the new stage curtain by the end of the month.
• Milestone year for three of our car dealerships. Duval Ford is celebrating its 90th year, Duval Honda marked 35 years last month and Duval Acura will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.