• The most famous golfer at the Oct. 30 Hall of Fame ceremony won’t be one of the inductees. Arnold Palmer will be there to speak on behalf of the late Mark McCormack, the entrepreneur who’s one of five going into the World Golf Village shrine.
• The Commercial Real Estate Women Jacksonville will meet Sept. 12 at the Marriott Southpoint to hear about development in the Duval, Clay and St. Johns counties. Among the panelists: Jacksonville’s Mike Saylor.
• If your organization needs a speaker, the Gator Bowl Association has one. Check with Connie Skinner at 798-5980.
• Sports Illustrated has put out its top 20 high school football teams in the country and a local school made the list. The St. Augustine High Yellowjackets are ranked No. 16. Perennial power Hoover, Ala. — the team that knocked off Nease last year in the season-opener broadcast nationally on ESPN — is the top-ranked team. Overall, three schools from Florida made the top 20 led by No. 2 Lakeland.
• Speaking of Sports Illustrated and football, the magazine’s pro football preview is out and it’s not good news for Jaguars fans. SI is picking them to finish behind the Indianapolis Colts at 9-7 while missing the playoffs. The magazine is picking the Carolina Panthers to beat the Miami Dolphins in the Super Bowl. Interesting side note to that: the 2007 Super Bowl is in Miami, meaning if SI’s prognostication is true, the Dolphins would be the first host team to play in the Super Bowl.
• Majs. Jim and Linda Arrowood of The Salvation Army will be officially welcomed to town during a Sept. 14 reception at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. The Arrowoods are the new area commanders and took over in late June when Majs. Jim and Karol Seiler were transferred to Atlanta. City Council President Michael Corrigan is the keynote speaker and the Paxon High honors choir will perform.
• City Council member Suzanne Jenkins had a new title taped in front of her office door last week. A note read: “Troublemaking, Pot-Stirring (TPS) Chair.”
• The St. Johns Riverkeeper has awarded its 2006 River Advocate Award to Barbara Ketchum for her efforts in River Friendly Yards, a public awareness campaign.
• The 35th annual Riverside Arts Festival will be Sept. 8-10. The free concert in Riverside Park will kick off the event, featuring the band “Tropic of Cancer” 7-9 p.m., Sept. 8. Artists from all around the country will be showcasing their art in Riverside Park Sept. 9 & 10. For more information call 389-2449.
• Compass, an all-faith women’s conference, will be held at the Crowne Plaza Sept. 29-30. The event’s keynote speaker is Cynthia Montello, an evangelist, motivational speaker and women’s advocate. See www.compass2006jax.com for more information.