• At a breakfast Tuesday at San Jose Country Club, Mayor John Peyton and the United Way’s Women in Local Leadership kicked off the Born Learning campaign. It is part of United way’s focus on early childhood success based on a child’s ability to learn from birth through six years. According to Dr. Lawrence Schweinhart of the Perry Preschool Project, guest speaker at the event, $17 is returned to the public for each dollar invested in early childhood development. VyStar Credit Union and State Farm Insurance were honored for their support of Born Learning as corporate partners.
• Speaking of Peyton, he’ll be on hand Tuesday when WorkSource and several partners announce the launch of a resource guide and Web site that will link military veterans and their families to important information. WorkSource Chairman Bruce Ferguson will also be joined by City Council member Lad Daniels, Dan McCarthy, the City’s director of military affairs, a representative from the Cornerstone division of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, local military leaders and area veterans. The press conference is at WorkSource Career Services on Norwood Avenue at 2 p.m.
• City Council member Ronnie Fussell is having a second surgery on his right shoulder in the past few months. This one, we are told, is not as major as the first.
• Ray Oram, the director of communications for IBM, is the guest speaker at a Wednesday meeting hosted by the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. It’s from 3:30-4:30 in the Hampton Room in the SunTrust building on the Southbank.
• According to its latest newsletter, the Jacksonville Track Club is looking for a treasurer for next year. If interested, call Carolyn McClanahan at 390-2737.
• The Jacksonville Port Authority is taking proposals for its security guard services. Proposals will be accepted until 2 p.m. Dec. 8 at which time all proposals will be opened. A mandatory pre-proposal conference is set for Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Port’s offices.
• City Council and the School Board have pegged Nov. 20 for their joint meeting.
• Downtown may be getting some help with traffic flow issues soon. An ordinance is working its way through City Council that appropriates a little over $4 million from various Public Works accounts to fund several projects.
• The St. Johns River City Band’s performance of “Yuletide Swing” is at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at the T-U Center. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors 60 and up, and $10 for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at www.rivercityband.com, at the T-U Center or by calling 355-4700.
• The Main Library’s Intermezzo Concert is at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Main Library. The Orange Park Chorale is performing and the event is free with a reception following the concert.