• TV-12/25 President and General Manager Ken Tonning has sent Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver a terse letter expressing his station’s displeasure with the team’s — and NFL’s — decision to limit local TV cameras on the sidelines. The new rule permits only the network carrying the game, its affiliate and other networks contracted by the NFL sideline access. Tonning brought up a variety of issues including his station’s seven-year status as the “official TV partner” of the team, the amount of money the station has committed to the team over the years and the fact that Alltel is a municipal stadium. Tonning contends the new rule is a First Amendment and censorship issue.
• Chamber Chair Ed Burr started Tuesday’s gun bounty press conference by asking everyone to get comfortable by taking off their jackets. “I’m going to lead that,” he said.
• Speaking of the press conference, it was very well attended and a few candidates made an appearance including State Rep. Audrey Gibson, her opponent City Council member Reggie Fullwood and County Judge candidate Dawn Hudson.
• One more. The press conference was held at Highlands Little League park and there’s a big sign letting everyone (read: parents) know the rules. Among them: no criticizing the umpires unless you are ready to assume their duties, no grandstand managing and nine on the field at a time.
• The Jaguars Foundation has awarded more than $596,000 in grants to 21 local youth-serving agencies in its first grant cycle of 2006, bringing the total since 1995 in grant giving to $9.5 million.
• Better Jacksonville Plan project manager Joel Reitzer has resigned to take a job as an architect with the Bay Street firm of Looney Ricks Kiss. Reitzer had been with the City for five years.
• It’s been a year since the Port Authority signed a deal with Japanese cargo shipper Mitsui OSK Lines. Since then, site clearing and design plans for the 158-acre site have been completed and the Port is in the process of hiring a contractor for the $150 million project. Construction is set to begin in October and wrap up in 18 months with the terminal opening in the spring of 2008.
• The 14th annual Taste the Music and Dance will be from 5:30-9:30 p.m. on Sept. 21 at the Aetna Building. Tickets are $30 to $45. Proceeds benefit The St. Johns River City Band.
• ‘Tis always the season to be jolly, even in August. When City Council President Michael Corrigan got into a crowded elevator last week at City Hall, he decided that there was just one thing to do – start singing Christmas carols. By the time the elevator reached its floor everyone had joined in, according to one witness.
• The green Helping Hands pamphlets handed out by Downtown Vision Inc. are catching on. According to DVI Executive Director Terry Lorince, more than 40,000 have been distributed and calls are coming in from the Southbank and the Beaches who also want them.
• More from DVI. More than 7,000 pounds of trash have been picked up this year; 138 graffiti tags have been removed; and there have been 91 homeless assists.
• Individual game tickets for the 2006 Southern League Playoffs are on sale at the Baseball Grounds. The Jacksonville Suns will host games one and two of the first round of the league playoffs on Sept. 7 and 8. The games will be at 7:05 p.m. Ticket prices range from $6.50 to $21.50.
• The final phase of the $4 million renovation project at the Crowne Plaza on the Southbank is underway. The exterior is getting a new paint job from top to bottom. “There won’t be a single green thing anywhere,” said Janice Dailey, director of sales and marketing, adding the new beige paint, dome-free front entrance and Crowne Plaza signage will help with re-branding the hotel and make it easier for people to stop referring to it as “the Hilton.”
• Speaking of Downtown hotels, if you’re going to the Hyatt Aug. 23-31, you’ll have to use the Newnan Street entrance. The main entrance on Coastline Drive is being renovated and will be inaccessible during that time.
• Starting Sunday, Jacksonville Indoor Sports on Emerson Street will be offering soccer tournaments for all ages. For more information call 346-3946 or visit www.jaxindoorsports.com.
• Earlier this year the Jacksonville Aviation Authority announced that Boeing may start manufacturing the C-J27 Spartan at Cecil Field. In an effort to show the aircraft off to the folks here in town, Aviation Authority boss John Clark is looking into to having one of the planes make an appearance at Cecil this fall.
• The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K walk/run is Oct. 14 at Friendship Park. It’s a noncompetitive 5K that will happen in over 100 locations this year. More details at www.cancer.org/stridesonline.