• Speaking of Cheney, visiting poet Nikki Giovanni wasn’t too thrilled by his visit. ”It’s just distressing to me that Dick Cheney is here,” she said. “It’s a mess, it blocks up the airport.” Giovanni switched from the Hyatt to the Hilton to get away from it all. She said she anticipated hotel floor lock-downs and other inconveniences from Cheney’s visit. Giovanni, who spoke at the Ritz Theatre Friday night, added that she’s seen British royalty visit American cities with less security fanfare.
• The World Golf Village is losing its head golf pro. David Shaffer is moving to a Mississippi club.
• They’ve lined up a blue-chip committee for the Deliver the Dream charity benefit April 22. It’s the pet of Toyota’s Pat Moran and it’s at the Sawgrass Marriott. Co-chairs are T-U publisher Carl Cannon and wife Rita, and attorney John Donahoo and wife Patty.
• The City plans to offer free parking for Duval County Schools Superintendent Joseph Wise’s reading festival, scheduled for June 10 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Metro Park. Given that it’s the offseason for the Jaguars and other Alltel Stadium events, planners don’t think it will be difficult. “I think we just flung open the chains at Alltel last year,” said City Finance Director Cal Ray in an e-mail.
• The mayor’s top military adviser, Dan McCarthy, heard rumblings that there are plenty of developers who would be anxious to develop NAS Jacksonville and Mayport should those bases ever be closed. But McCarthy isn’t so sure. He points to a recent Wall Street Journal article chronicling the difficulties faced by developers of shuttered bases. “It’s not so easy,” said McCarthy. “It’s important for Jacksonville to focus on enhancing the military value of our bases.”
• Condolences to General Counsel Rick Mullaney and his family on the passing of Rick’s father, Richard, who died of Lou Gehrig’s disease.
• Downtown commuters are well-acquainted with congestion on Jacksonville’s roads, but traffic should be lighter on the City’s waterways. Statistics from the City’s Department of Motor Vehicles show that the number of vessel registrations is down from 31,835 in 2004 to a current level of 29,957.
• It’s really early, but City Council President Kevin Hyde has received an endorsement from the FOP for next spring’s election. Even FOP President Nelson Cuba realizes the official backing is early, but he likes what he sees in Hyde. “The FOP does not typically endorse candidates for office until the end of qualifying,” wrote Nelson in a letter to Hyde. “However, your actions and your record speak volumes to your views on the importance of providing quality law enforcement in Jacksonville.”
• BellSouth’s Jim McCollum is retiring soon and doesn’t have much in the way of plans. “Nothing. I am not committing to anything,” he said. McCollum does plan to stay on as chair of the WJCT board until September and as a member of the Aviation Authority until his term expires. What about the other six or so boards he sits on? “I am resigning from the rest.”
• At Monday’s Rotary Club meeting, Wyman Duggan of Rogers Towers was introduced as the club’s newest member and given a red badge by President Dr. Bob Colyer. “After you learn all 300 or more names, you get your blue badge,” said Colyer.