• Voting for Jacksonville Bar Association officers begins today and runs through May 17. JBA members can vote for president-elect and the board of governors at either the JBA offices or in room 220 in the County Courthouse from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. You can also vote at the Bar’s annual meeting May 18 at Deerwood Country Club from 4-7 p.m.
• Odds are you may know someone that is trying to qualify for this year’s U.S. Open golf tournament at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. This year 8,584 golfers have applied to try and qualify for the June 12-18 tournament. The youngest applicant is 13 while the oldest is 76. Yes, 16 year-old Michelle Wie has applied.
• Florida Community College is breaking ground on its Cecil Center campus during a May 24 ceremony. It’s at 9 a.m. and the campus is on Normandy Boulevard.
• The MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation is holding its Verizon Wireless Kids for Kid carnival June 10 at Regency Mall. It’s in the parking lot, starts at 10 a.m and will feature a tennis clinic, the Kelloggs Junior Olympics and much more. It’s free but sponsorships are encouraged.
• Jungle Runners Express, a partnership with the Uncommon Grounds coffee shop in San Marco, has opened at 140 W. Monroe. You may be familiar with Jungle Runners coffee – they have been regulars at the Friday Farmers Market at Hemming Plaza for a couple of months.
• May 12 will be one of the last chances to see the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra perform as the 2005-2006 season is coming to an end. The orchestra will be performing with the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra in the Major/Minor Concert at 7 p.m. at the T-U Center.
• Tickets for the 2006 ACC Baseball Tournament at the Baseball Grounds are on sale now at the Suns ticket office or at www.jaxsuns.com. The Tournament will take place May 24-28 and will feature the top eight teams from regular season conference play.
• At Tuesday’s press conference to announce the donation of thousands of books to kids all over town, Mayor John Peyton told everyone that his family’s company — Gate Petroleum — was one of the sponsors. “I know getting money out of them is not easy,” said Peyton. For more, see page 4.
• The annual Dancin’ in the Streets — the all day block party at Town Center in Atlantic and Neptune beaches — is May 13. Things usually get underway around noon and wrap up about 10 p.m.