• The alcohol policy in the Touchdown Clubs at Alltel Stadium for the Dec. 2 Dr Pepper ACC Championship game were recently released. Beer, wine and mixed drinks will be sold two hours prior to kick-off, but only beer will be sold during the 20-minute halftime. There won’t be any booze served while the game is in play and no alcohol will be allowed in the stadium seating areas.
• November’s a good month for guest speakers at the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville. Florida Bar President Hank Coxe is in on Nov. 7, Suzanne Yak (wife of T-U editor, Pat) of Neighbors to the Rescue speaks Nov. 14 and Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver wraps up the month (there is no Nov. 21 meeting) Nov. 28. The club meets every Tuesday at the Wyndham on the Southbank at 12:30.
• Prudential Financial is expanding its Call Center and Policy operations to add 55 new jobs to its current employee base of 650 local employees in their Southbank facilities. “The expansion of Prudential’s workforce on the Southbank is another demonstration of the success the city is having in attracting and maintaining well paying jobs for our residents,” said Mayor John Peyton. “Part of this success can be attributed to the company’s location in the Enterprise Zone and the creation of new jobs and economic revitalization in that area.”
• Speaking of Peyton, he’s doing his part to help promote the ACC Championship game. Peyton and Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce President Wally Lee have co-authored a letter to community leaders urging them to buy tickets to this year’s game. ACC Commissioner John Swafford has said if this year’s game sells out, there’s a virtual guarantee the ACC will renew the contract with Jacksonville for at least two more years. Peyton and Lee are reminding everyone the game is about economic development as much as football.
• According to the latest Cornerstone update, 25 new projects in Jacksonville have been completed so far this calendar year. Those projects represent $243 million in capital investment and more than 3,700 new jobs. Cornerstone is the economic development arm of the Chamber.
• City Council member Reggie Fullwood is stepping down at the end of year and Council member Ronnie Fussell has volunteered to help with any projects that may arise in Fullwood’s district before the new Dist. 9 representative starts July 1. Fullwood resigned to run for State Rep. Audrey Gibson’s seat and lost. There are no plans to replace Fullwood on a temporary basis and Council will operate with 18 voting members until July 1.
• Members of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue have set a new record during their annual “Fill the Boot” Drive for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The three-day event, which started Thursday and ended Saturday, raised a record $113,694.18, eclipsing last year’s record setting total of $85,000. This boot drive will push the Jacksonville firefighters’ total 2006 contribution to Jerry’s Kids to $135,000, surpassing last year’s $110,000.
• Interesting fact regarding the City’s elected officials and their health insurance. Anyone leaving office before Sept. 30, 2007 will continue to receive health, dental and life insurance for the rest of their lives as long as they agree to pay 100 percent of the slightly-discounted premium. The only catch is the coverages can’t be changed and their is no re-enrollment if coverages are dropped.
• The Jacksonville Waterways Commission meets Thursday at 9 a.m. in City Council Chambers.
• State Rep. Stan Jordan has questioned the results of a recent study done by economic analyst Hank Fishkind on the impact of Cecil Field as a commerce center as opposed to a master jet base. According to Fishkind, there are 435 Army National Guard jobs at Cecil. However, Jordan contends 378 of those jobs are actually reservists who report to work one weekend of the month. Jordan says there are only 75 full-time Army National Guard jobs at Cecil.
• Peace Slam, Peace Jam. Mayor John Peyton and the Jacksonville Children’s Commission are calling all local teenagers ages 14-18 to a “pep rally for peace” from 1-3 p.m. Nov 11. The peace slam is explained as “an effort to build a stronger community and combat crime in our neighborhoods” on the children’s commission Web site. In addition to cheering for their neighborhoods, listening to disc jockeys and forming a giant human peace sign, attending teens will have the opportunity to join Peace Jam. Peace Jam is an international education program in which Nobel Peace Laureates work with children “to inspire a new generation of peacemakers.”
• You can get Thanksgiving dinner Downtown, thanks to The Magnificat Cafe. The Laura Street restaurant is selling pre-ordered Thanksgiving dinners and sides for people to pick up between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Nov. 22. Menu items include 10-pound turkeys, pecan and mashmallow sweet potatoes and cornbread and green apple sausage stuffing.
• The annual Jaguars/Winn-Dixie food drive to benefit Lutheran Social Services’ Second Harvest Food Bank began Tuesday at the Winn-Dixie store at Baymeadows Road and 9A. Things got off to a fast start when Winn-Dixie donated a trailerload of food – 42,000 pounds to be exact, enough for 21,000 meals.