• The Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association has announced its officers for the 2006-07 year. Nina LaFleur is the chairperson; Cindy Jackson, president; Rehan Khawaja, vice-president; Cheri Odom, secretary; and Chad Dean, treasurer. Its directors include: Christopher DeMetros, Lynn Drysdale, Edward Jackson, Jerrett McConnell, Patrick Pantangan and Robert Perry.
• In case you haven’t noticed, the Daily Record’s Web site has been modified. More user-friendly, colorful and easier to read.
• City Council Finance Committee chair Daniel Davis has called a special meeting of his committee for May 18 to review the status of the City’s 2005-06 budget.
• The waterfront in Mayport village is on the verge of major redevelopment and some of the folks involved want to make sure the area retains some of its quaintness. Former Atlantic Beach Mayor John Meserve is chairman of the Mayport Waterfront Partnership and he has proposed establishing a Mayport Village Working Waterfront Zone ordinance. Two big elements of the law include limiting riverfront building heights to 50 feet and making sure that investors and potential residents understand that “Mayport Village is a working waterfront and the processing of seafood is often accompanied by noise, smells and sights.”
• Steve Rosenbloom has tendered his resignation from the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees.
• According to the Gator Bowl Association, the first Dr Pepper ACC title game between Florida State and Va. Tech produced some interesting numbers: a $25 million direct economic impact, 10 million viewers and ticket buyers from 46 states (no one from Alaska, Montana, South Dakota or Wyoming bought a ticket).
• Speaking of the GBA, this year’s ACC Legends Reception will be Dec. 1.
• Jacksonville Community Council Inc. Forward is holding a leadership development workshop May 12 from noon-4 p.m. at the Times-Union building on Riverside Avenue.
• LandMar has submitted its municipal and county ad valorem taxes on the Shipyards for 2005. The total: $453,504.14.
• As the City continues to review its policies for hooking up septic tanks to public sewers, Council member Lad Daniels reminded members of the Finance Committee Monday that not every septic tank needs the changeover. “Many of the 175,000 septic tanks in our community are functioning fine,” said Daniels.
• The Florida Times-Union recently sent surveys to City Council members, asking them to rate their most important topics for the 2006-2007 city budget. The survey lists more than 25 different issues in no order. Topics include truancy programs, affordable housing, outreach youth programs and cleaning up the St. Johns River.
• JTA just launched a survey that will examine the riding habits of its bus passengers. The survey should be completed in about three weeks and the results will be used to alter bus routes to better match the needs of riders. “Our goal is to survey at least 50 percent of our ridership,” said Steve Arrington, JTA director of strategic planning. “That’s a lot of people, but we feel it’s important to get a realistic view of where our passengers are coming from, where they are going and whether they have alternative transportation available to them.” Not every bus will have survey staff on hand, but each bus route will be covered.
• The number of immigration-related protests continues to grow. A group called New Media Alliance, Inc. is sponsoring a “National Day Without Citizens” in response to what they perceive to be a “dangerous flow of illegal immigrants to the United States.” According to a recent press release, the group is organizing a national protest for this Friday and June 30. On those days, ordinary American citizens who support New Media Alliance’s agenda, will stay home from work and school and spend no money “in an effort to gain back the attention of their elected representatives.”