• Chief of Research for the City Jeff Clements was proudly showing off a picture of his daughter Monday. Not just any picture, but one of her with the Stanley Cup. Seems she goes to Elon College in North Carolina and was there when the Cup was making its rounds recently. The Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup this past June and each member of the winning team — from the owner to the trainers — gets to hold onto the Cup for a day.
• There’s a big meeting in Miami next week and its implications could be felt statewide. The Governor’s Property Tax Reform Committee is meeting Oct. 17 at the Miami Dade College-Wolfson Campus. Gov. Jeb Bush has said property tax reform is something he’d like to take care of before he leaves office at the end of the year. The committee will issue its initial report by Dec. 15.
• The University of North Florida announced Saturday that a gift of $2 million was made by longtime benefactors George and Kernan Hodges to enhance the school’s Soccer and Track Stadium which will be renamed the Hodges Stadium. The donation will be matched by the State of Florida at 100 percent, bringing the total to $4 million.
• The Tourist Development Council will meet Thursday at 10 a.m. in Conference Room B in the City Council offices.
• Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will be in town Nov. 28 when he’ll be the guest speaker at the last Cornerstone luncheon of the year. It’s at the Hyatt from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tagliabue retired this summer and Roger Goodell took over the NFL’s top spot.
• The networking group of professionals, NetWorth, will host a river dinner cruise Oct. 20 and the three-hour tour is themed after Gilligan’s Island. They’ll have door prizes, food and a $500 cash giveaway. Tickets are $45 and some of the proceeds go to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs. For ticket info go to NetWorthJax.com.
• Republic of Afghanistan Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad is the guest of honor at this year’s World Affairs Council of Jacksonville Ambassador’s Dinner Circle. It’s Nov. 6 at the Jacksonville Port Authority’s cruise terminal and it’s billed “A Night to Remember.” Mayor John Peyton will deliver opening remarks and present Jawad with a key to the city.
• U.S. Rep. John Mica will be here Friday for the First Coast Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting, but he’ll also be back for the Oct. 27 gathering of the Republican Club of Ponte Vedra when the club hosts its “Keep Our Red State Red” party. It’s at Sawgrass Country Club and there’s no need to bring a checkbook. Organizers simply want to drum up support for GOP candidates before the Nov. 7 general election.
• Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has organized the first Florida Urban Partnership Safe Cities Summit and picked Nov. 1 for the meeting. He’s invited Mayor John Peyton and several other Florida mayors and sheriffs to participate in the summit that will focus on ways to curb violent crime in the state.
• Bank of America’s Deborah Pierson has been named to the LISC board of directors. Pierson is the bank’s senior vice president, community development marketing manager. LISC stands for Local Initiative Support Corporation and is the community organization that helps create safe, affordable, family-friendly neighborhoods.
• The Jacksonville Heart Gallery previously scheduled for Thursday at Fogle Fine Arts & Accessories has been postponed to an undetermined date sometime early next year, according to Fogle’s director. The Gallery depicts the emotional experiences of Jacksonville children hoping to be permanently placed in new homes. For more information about the event, call 296-1414.
• The Jewish Community Alliance will hold its 10th annual Jewish Book Festival Nov. 7-18. Four of the five author discussions are free, except the patron’s party featuring Sam Wolfson and Bryan Fogel, co-authors of “Jewtopia: The Chosen Book for the Chosen People.” See www.jcajax.org for more information.