• The members of the Jacksonville chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution pictured on our front page Wednesday caused quite a stir when they strolled through City Hall in full colonial-era regalia. “I just thought they were eccentric,” said Policy Director Kevin Holzendorf. Mayor’s office receptionist Alice Newman said she got an alert call from the ground floor. “They said ‘the British are coming, the British are coming,’” said Newman.
• Architect Thomas Hurst has made partner at Rink Design Partnership, Inc. Hurst joined the firm in 2000 as a senior designer and his resume includes the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens and the Marina San Pablo, Ortega Landing, Pier Point and The Waters condominium projects.
• The Fraternal Order of Police is holding its next monthly luncheon June 7 at the FOP headquarters on Beach Boulevard.
• Nice touch. Attorney Hugh Cotney has been collecting used men’s business wear and plans to donate it all to the Sulzbacher Center Monday afternoon.
• If you think $3-a-gallon gas is hurting your budget, consider what it’s doing to the City. The City’s auto fleet consumes about 7 million gallons a year.
• The JEDC’s Thursday meeting started a half-hour late because not enough commissioners were present to form a quorum. When commissioner Delois Hollinger arrived, she asked jokingly, “Are you all waiting for me?” JEDC Chairman Ceree Harden responded, “Yes, actually we are.”
• Thursday was Jeanne Miller’s last JEDC meeting as deputy director, but executive director Ron Barton is already scheming for ways to bring her back in her new role as of counsel to Florida Community College at Jacksonville. “We can get her back here. Isn’t FCCJ considered an ex-officio (commissioner)?” asked Barton. “Everybody else is.”
• Chaos is coming Downtown. The annual Chaos Fair to showcase up-and-coming artists in Jacksonville will be held 6 p.m.-midnight May 19 behind the Florida Theatre and on Bay Street between Push 2 Gallery and Mark’s. A broad variety of art forms will contribute to the event, including spoken word, dance, film, music, photography and circus acts. According to the Web site, the purpose of the Chaos Fair is to expose the public to art experiences beyond mainstream entertainment.
• The Sports and Entertainment Board — a division of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission — will meet Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. on the 15th floor of the City Hall Annex.
• Speaking of the Chaos Fair, the crowd may overlap with the Jacksonville Film Festival folks, as well. A free JFF Downtown Rocks! event will play live music in Hemming Plaza from 5-7 p.m. Also, the JFF opening night reception will be at the Florida Theatre from 6:30-7:30 p.m. ($15 for reception and short film on Jacksonville’s movie history).
• One of the best things about the Jacksonville Port Authority is its friendly relationship with its workers, according to Rick Ferrin, executive director of the Port. He said he isn’t worried about fights between non-union, union and teamsters on the docks because Florida is a right-to-work state. Ferrin said this wouldn’t happen in New York or New Jersey. There would be bloodshed in those ports, he said.
• More from the Port: The 30-year lease agreement with Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Trapac will create millions of dollars in revenue for Jacksonville and hundreds of jobs at the Port, some of which are crane operators. Ferrin said he already has employees training on the cranes even though the completion of the shipping firm’s terminal is a ways off. There is one crane that isn’t used at the Port — a 1972 Alliance crane made by an American manufacturer. Ferrin says he’d sell it...if there was a buyer.