• Rep. Ander Crenshaw finds it “interesting” that problems with the USS John F. Kennedy’s flight deck were discovered at the same time legislation was introduced to decommission the Mayport-based aircraft carrier. “It’s interesting that all four arresting wire engines broke the same day. And that happened to be the same day that the amendment was introduced,” said Crenshaw. The amendment he referenced would have let the Navy mothball the carrier.
• The presidential nominee to take over the U.S. military’s Southern Command in Miami has strong Jacksonville ties. Vice Adm. Jim Stavridis has family in Jacksonville and is close with Mayor John Peyton, according to Peyton’s military liaison, Dan McCarthy.
• The Springfield Woman’s Club will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. next Tuesday at 210 W. 7th St. An English high tea menu will be served, including meat pie tartlets and strawberries and cream, with a small donation requested. The meeting is open to new guests. Speakers from FreshMinistries will be presenting new projects in development.
• The Jacksonville Aviation Authority is gearing up for the next phase of expansion — concourses A and C will be widened and lengthened as well as turned a little — but funding for the project will be introduced at tonight’s City Council meeting. The Authority is seeking $175 million worth of state and federal bonds and needs Council’s approval.
• At Monday’s Downtown Action Committee meeting, Special Events Director Theresa O’Donnell said the city is considering showing a movie at Metropolitan Park the night of July 3 and making some major changes in this year’s 4th of July celebration. She said the department is looking at several changes including holding the event along the Northbank and Southbank Riverwalks instead of at Metro Park and that a country music concert may not be part of this year’s plan. She also said the festivities might begin at 3 p.m. this year to avoid the hottest part of the day and that the fireworks display may be staged more like the show during Super Bowl with pyrotechnics launched off the tops of buildings instead of from barges in the river.