• A sign of football season: they’re getting the beer taps ready at Ann’s Sandwich Shop on Talleyrand and Duval, just a long block from the stadium. They serve the draft beer only during football season through you can buy a bottle at other times.
• Mike Hartley has added another chairman’s slot to his resume. He’s headed the golf tournament and the Gator Bowl Association, and now he’s just been appointed as chairman of the Jacksonville U. Athletic Association.
• State Sen. President-elect Ken Pruitt is hosting a fundraiser for State. Sen. Jim King Aug. 2 at Ponte Vedra Country Club. King is seeking re-election for his third, four-year term.
• City Council member Lad Daniels is the chairman of the Council’s special committee on conducting business in Jacksonville and has decided that all future meetings will be held immediately following the Council’s Rules Committee meeting. Seems everyone on the special committee is also a member of the Rules Committee. Daniels has asked his committee to have a final draft of legislation regarding the process his committee will follow ready by July 31.
• Portions of the Northbank Riverwalk heading towards Riverside will be closed periodically while the Auchter Company locates underground utilities that serve businesses along the river. The first closure was yesterday near the Fidelity National Financial building.
• The Northeast Florida Builders Association’s annual charity gala is Oct. 20 at the Hyatt. The theme is “Viva Las Vegas” this year and the grand prize giveaway is a trip for two to Las Vegas which includes first-class round trip airfare for two, four nights at The Bellagio, dining accommodations each night, helicopter tour over the Hoover Dam and $1,000 gambling money.
• Ladies get your hormones in check. The first annual Dudes for daniel bachelor auction is coming up and it has some women swooning while digging deep in their pocket books. The auction is part of Womenade’s campaign to support daniel, the nonprofit organization for children. A silent auction will accompany the baker’s dozen auction of bachelors Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at the University Club. Call Franchesca Tarleton at 403-8331 for more information.
• The folks at Cathedral Terrace are holding a craft sale and flea market Thursday in the auditorium. It’s from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Paper or Plastic? Duval County voters will be hearing that question a lot more during the fall election. It is the first election to offer touch screen ballots as well as paper ballots. Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland said the poll workers will ask every voter if they would like to use a paper ballot or receive the plastic card that accesses the touch screen to vote.