• The Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m. June 29 at the Hyatt. Cost is $10 for members and $25 for future members. If you register early online at www.myjaxchamber.com, you will receive $3 off admission and an extra drink ticket at the door.
• Kaye Schmitz, the director of the RealSense Prosperity Campaign, has thanked Mayor John Peyton for his support in helping expand RealSense statewide. The annual campaign helps poor people claim the Earned Income Tax Credit.
• City lobbyists expect Jacksonville to receive a $2.2 million increase in Community Development Block Grants after the Department of Housing and Urban Development recalculates its formula for dispersing the money. The grants can be used in a variety of ways to help develop poor neighborhoods.
• For those interested, the United States opens World Cup play a week from today at noon against the Czech Republic — the world’s second-ranked team — in the German town of Gelsenkirchen.
• Young professionals can learn how to form a “personal development plan” at IMPACTjax’s event June 19 at 8:30 p.m. at the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. The “Development First” session will feature Todd Floyd of Baptist Health Care, and it’s $10 for non-members.
• There’s another new store coming to the Landing. Mother and son Vicki and Chris Moody are getting ready to open jBunaé on the first floor. They said the store will carry clothing for men and women and jewelry at reduced prices from what they call “high-end department stores” and added that it will be the first time in a long time that you’ll be able to purchase a man’s dress shirt or a silk necktie Downtown. They expect the cash register to start ringing by July 4.
• Speaking of the Fourth of July, most Downtown businesses will be closed as will government offices. But, City Hall will be open for business July 3. That said, one City Hall staffer said, don’t expect to find too many people working that day.
• Heather Jones, emergency preparedness planner for the City of Jacksonville, spoke at Friday’s Downtown Council meeting about preparing for the hurricane season. Jones said the City of Jacksonville launched the Pet Friendly Public Evacuation Shelter Program where three shelters in Jacksonville will be available for pets.
• Even though the boats that are used for the historic river tours during Jazz in June weren’t available for Saturday’s event, they will be at the next three Jazz in June events June 10, 17 and 24.
• Synovus Bank will be making its way Downtown when they open a new branch on Prudential Drive next to The Wine Cellar.
• Failing a high school class is getting expensive. The summer high school classes offered at Florida Community College and Bethel Baptist Institutional Church require a registration fee of $250. Registration was recently extended through today because space was still available, which means either high school students are passing more classes or they’re repeating entire grades.
• The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast is getting back in touch with its roots. They announced Monday that a new facility is opening in San Marco at the Southside Baptist Church on 1435 Atlantic Blvd. The Y will also be looking to fill part-time positions at its 10,000 square-foot building, according to Ray Purvis, senior vice president for community development at YMCA. “It’s an integral partnership with the church,” said Purvis. “It’s kind of getting back to out roots.”
The new Downtown This Week is out and the cover story features the Main Street Bridge and its role in Jacksonville’s history. The magazine is free and available all over Downtown.